How Oncology Nurses Can Counter Breast Cancer Misinformation

Patients with breast cancer often arrive at the clinic having searched online, scrolled through social media, or heard advice from friends and family. Sorting accurate information from inaccurate or unsafe claims has become a routine part of oncology nursing care, and nurses are often the care team members patients reach most easily.

In part 2 of this 2-part Breast Cancer Awareness Month interview, Nicole Doell, MSN, RN, executive director of nursing for ambulatory clinics at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Health System, discussed how nurses can respectfully address misinformation, share vetted resources, and stay current.

How can nurses tell when a patient is relying on inaccurate breast cancer information?

Obviously, with technology at our fingertips, patients have come in, they share this information, whether it be print media, online searches. And our nurses should be listening without judgment, clarifying, again, any of the concerns they're seeing, and also providing clear, evidence-based information from reliable sources, right? So doing this obviously in a respectful way.

How can nurses share evidence-based resources while respecting patients' values?

The most important thing is listening without judgment, right? Trying to understand and go back to the diverse population that we see. So understanding [the best way] for them to receive information, right? Some really rely heavily on social media, some go through their own searches, some really rely on support groups. So I think the nurses at the heart of it need to really actively listen without judgment. And then when the time is right, they can share whether some of these resources are evidence-based or…maybe it's more opinion-driven, and we, you know, we can talk through that and share that. But also, being an NCI-designated cancer center, we really do have a lot of wonderful resources that we can share with the patients, including websites they could go to.

Why is it important for oncology nurses to stay up to date?

We have our annual conference that we do to keep our nurses up to date with all things oncology, and then we have specific areas of attention that we do based on the site disease groups. [The] process is really to make our nurses as much subject matter experts within the specialty and working at the top of their scope, so that when they're working within that care team, right, there's a delineation of roles to it as well. And there's really no overlap, right? So the patient's really getting a nurse, they're getting a nurse practitioner, they're getting a provider that's really available to them, not only when they are in our facility, but also when they leave.

Our nurses are the point of contact for our patients. So, you know, our patients leave sometimes with a lot of information. It can be very overwhelming, especially for a new diagnosis. So our patients are always [provided] contact numbers, which are our nurses in the clinic, and they can reach back out, and the nurses can really go through clarifying any needs the patient has, any questions that they have, in a very timely manner, and they are getting that primary care nurse. So it's really specialized care based on patients and specific patient needs.

What are the key takeaways for oncology nurses?

Previous Oncology Nursing News coverage has outlined how to talk with patients about potential cancer misinformation, including responding with empathy rather than judgment and pointing patients to sources such as the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, and Cancer.Net.¹ Nurse-led education can also address misconceptions directly; in a recent single-site study, a nurse-led class and video improved understanding of clinical trial concepts among patients with kidney cancer.² Keeping pace with increasingly individualized breast cancer treatment is another reason ongoing education matters, as an oncology nurse practitioner described in a recent Breast Cancer Awareness Month interview.³ Sylvester is part of UHealth, which holds Magnet with Distinction designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.⁴ Points from Doell's interview for nurses to consider:

• Listen without judgment. When patients bring in information from social media, online searches, or print media, start by listening and clarifying their concerns.
• Learn how each patient takes in information. Preferred sources vary across diverse populations, from social media to personal searches to support groups.
• Separate evidence from opinion. When the time is right, help patients distinguish evidence-based resources from opinion-driven content.
• Point to vetted resources. Institutional and national resources, including recommended websites, give patients reliable places to turn.
• Invest in ongoing education. Annual conferences and disease site–specific training support nurses working at the top of their scope.
• Make nurses reachable. Giving patients clinic nurse contact numbers lets them follow up with questions after they leave the center.

References

1. Hanley M. Talking with patients about potential cancer misinformation. Oncology Nursing News. January 6, 2023. Accessed October 26, 2026. https://www.oncnursingnews.com/view/talking-with-patients-about-potential-cancer-misinformation
2. Biese A. Nurse-led education clears up clinical trial myths in kidney cancer. Oncology Nursing News. October 26, 2026. Accessed October 26, 2026. https://oncnursingnews.com/view/nurse-led-education-clears-up-clinical-trial-myths-in-kidney-cancer
3. Biese A. Breast cancer awareness: an APN on personalized care and survivorship. Oncology Nursing News. October 12, 2026. Accessed October 26, 2026. https://www.oncnursingnews.com/view/breast-cancer-awareness-an-apn-on-personalized-care-and-survivorship
4. Magnet with Distinction. UHealth–University of Miami Health System. Accessed October 26, 2026. https://umiamihealth.org/healthcare-professionals/nursing/magnet-with-distinction