Once breast cancer has spread beyond the breast and local lymph nodes to other places in the body, it is rarely cured, and is called metastatic breast cancer. Those who have metastatic breast cancer, may live with their disease for many years. To optimize care for these patients, members of the Breast Cancer Program established the Hope at Hopkins Clinic, a multi-pronged quality improvement project at the Under Armour Breast Health Innovation Center and at Johns Hopkins Sibley Memorial Hospital.

The project started in 2020 and was made possible with funding through a grant from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and Pfizer, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Under Armour. Patients with metastatic cancer were invited to participate in the Clinic, in addition to receiving their usual care. After completing a baseline patient reported outcomes survey, participants were offered a menu of services, including cancer rehabilitation, supportive oncology, integrative medicine, social work, nutrition, navigation, and access to other individualized services. A comprehensive care plan, focused on optimizing treatment, managing symptoms, and promoting wellness, is created for each patient.

Patients were asked to evaluate their experience three days after their clinic session and at three and six months after their care plan was delivered.

From November 2020 to June 2022, 53 patients were referred, and 44 (83%) completed baseline surveys and participated in the Hope at Hopkins Clinic, with 37 (84%) receiving individualized care plans. The overall experience was so successful from the perspective of both patients and clinicians that the program is formally implementing a new multidisciplinary model. Patients with a new diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer now receive a kit with individualized assessment, educational materials, and recommendations to help guide those living with metastatic breast cancer.