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Quality of life (QOL) and symptom burden (SB) in patients with breast cancer

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to determine the quality of life (QOL) and symptom burden (SB) among breast cancer patients.

Methods

Patients with DCIS, early stage, locally advanced, or metastatic breast cancer completed the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy for Breast Cancer (FACT-B). Patients were divided into subsequent cohorts based on their last day of treatment, age at enrollment, radiation, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy.

Results

A total of 1513 patients were enrolled. Metastatic patients had a lower QOL and greatest SB compared to all other patient groups. Patients ≤50 years old with early stage or locally advanced breast cancer had a lower QOL and greater SB for fatigue, depression, and anxiety compared to all other age cohorts. Patients with early stage breast cancer who received chemotherapy had a lower QOL and greater SB. Patients taking selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) had greater SB for depression and lower QOL compared to those not on SERM. Patients 2–10 years post-treatment had a lower QOL compared to patients ≥10 years post-treatment.

Conclusion

Patients ≤50 years old, 2–10 years post-treatment, treated with chemotherapy or SERM had increased SB and decreased QOL. Individualized interventions and programs can be developed to tailor to physical, educational, and psychosocial needs identified across the breast cancer continuum.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the generous support of Bratty Family Fund, Michael and Karyn Goldstein Cancer Research Fund, Joey and Mary Furfari Cancer Research Fund, Pulenzas Cancer Research Fund, Joseph and Silvana Melara Cancer Research Fund, and Ofelia Cancer Research Fund.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, 2075 Bayview Avenue, M4N 3M5, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Julia Hamer, Rachel McDonald, Liying Zhang, Sunil Verma, Angela Leahey, Christine Ecclestone, Gillian Bedard, Natalie Pulenzas, Anchal Bhatia, Ronald Chow, Carlo DeAngelis, Janet Ellis, Eileen Rakovitch, Justin Lee & Edward Chow

Authors
  1. Julia Hamer
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  2. Rachel McDonald
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  3. Liying Zhang
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  4. Sunil Verma
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  5. Angela Leahey
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  6. Christine Ecclestone
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  7. Gillian Bedard
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  8. Natalie Pulenzas
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  9. Anchal Bhatia
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  10. Ronald Chow
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  11. Carlo DeAngelis
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  12. Janet Ellis
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  13. Eileen Rakovitch
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  14. Justin Lee
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  15. Edward Chow
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Edward Chow.

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Hamer, J., McDonald, R., Zhang, L. et al. Quality of life (QOL) and symptom burden (SB) in patients with breast cancer. Support Care Cancer 25, 409–419 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-016-3417-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-016-3417-6

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