Elsevier

Annals of Oncology

Volume 14, Issue 12, December 2003, Pages 1744-1750
Annals of Oncology

Original articles
Breast cancer
Functional status is well maintained in older women during adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer

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Abstract

Background

While adjuvant chemotherapy is known to improve survival in older women with breast cancer, there is little information about its effects on physical function and health-related quality of life.

Patients and methods

‘Young’ (<65 years of age) and ‘older’ (≥65 years of age) postmenopausal women completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire Core Module (QLQ-C30) and BR23 questionnaires and other measures prior to, during and at the completion of anthracycline-based adjuvant chemotherapy, and then 6 and 12 months later.

Results

Physical, role and social function decreased during chemotherapy and emotional function improved (all P <0.01). The decline in physical function was more marked in young (age range 31–64 years; n = 45) than in older women (65–80 years; n = 20) (P <0.05), despite similar baseline values and drug dose intensities. Physical and role function had recovered at 6 months post-chemotherapy. Older patients had consistently better emotional function (P <0.01).

Conclusions

Physical function and other functional domains are impaired in postmenopausal women during adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer, but recover subsequently. Physical function appeared to be better maintained in the older women, who tolerated adjuvant chemotherapy well overall. A knowledge of these effects is important for clinical decision-making and when defining social support needs during adjuvant chemotherapy.

Keywords

adjuvant therapy
breast cancer
elderly
health-related quality of life
physical function

Cited by (0)

Present address: Northwestern Ontario Regional Cancer Centre, 290 Munro Street, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada P7A 7T1.

Present address: Centre for Statistics in Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Old Road, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK.