Back to Search Start Over

Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Survivors in Relation to Age, Type of Surgery and Length of Time since First Treatment

Authors :
Sergio Alvarez-Pardo
Ena Monserrat Romero-Pérez
Néstor Camberos-Castañeda
José Antonio de Paz
Mario Alberto Horta-Gim
Jerónimo J. González-Bernal
Juan Mielgo-Ayuso
Lucía Simón-Vicente
Jessica Fernández-Solana
Josefa González-Santos
Source :
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health; Volume 19; Issue 23; Pages: 16229
Publication Year :
2022
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2022.

Abstract

(1) Background: Quality of life assessment is a critical aspect of breast cancer patient outcomes, as diagnosis, prognosis and treatment can have a major impact on quality of life. The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of the sample and to verify the relationship between quality of life (QOL) in women diagnosed with breast cancer (BC) and their age, type or surgery and time since treatment; (2) Methods: a cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted with 183 women diagnosed with BC, aged 30–80 years in Mexico. Women’s QOL was assessed using two questionnaires, The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer-Quality of Life Core Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and The Breast Cancer Module (EORTC QLQ-BR23). (3) Results: the results show significant differences in several items when the variable age is taken into account, indicating that younger women have poorer social and sexual function, as well as poorer sexual enjoyment and lower expectations of the future. The type of surgery also indicates a significantly better QOL in those women who receive conservative treatment versus a mastectomy; the time elapsed since surgery does not show any significant results, except for sexual functioning and breast-related symptoms where >5 years implies better scores on the items. (4) Conclusions: in conclusion, it is important to take into account the characteristics of women with BC, particularly at the time of treatment, in order to mitigate the impact of the disease on their QOL with the help of a multidisciplinary team.

Details

ISSN :
16604601
Volume :
19
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....c68674aefbfaeb05a04d479c3758ee7d