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Quality of life after adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Broeckel, JA; Jacobsen, PB; Balducci, L; Horton, J; Lyman, GH
Published in: Breast Cancer Res Treat
July 2000

PURPOSE: To evaluate the quality of life of breast cancer patients previously treated with adjuvant chemotherapy. METHOD: Registry data were used to recruit a sample of breast cancer patients (N = 61; mean age = 51.6 years) with no current evidence of disease who had completed adjuvant chemotherapy between 3 and 36 months earlier (average = 15.87 months). In addition, a peer nomination procedure was used to recruit an age-matched comparison group of women with no history of cancer (N = 59; mean age = 51.5 years). Both groups were mailed a survey to complete that included the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (SF-36) and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). These data were used to test the hypothesis that breast cancer patients previously treated with adjuvant chemotherapy experience impaired quality of life relative to their peers and to identify demographic and medical factors associated with individual differences in patient quality of life. RESULTS: Consistent with predictions, the postchemotherapy group scored poorer than the noncancer comparison group on the CES-D and on six of the eight subscales as well as the physical component summary scale of the SF-36 (p < 0.05). With regard to individual differences in patient quality of life, younger age and unmarried status were positively related to poorer mental well-being and greater depressive symptomatology (p < 0.05). Time since cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy completion were also positively related to greater depressive symptomatology (p < 0.05). In contrast, none of the demographic or medical variables assessed were related to physical well-being (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Breast cancer patients appear to experience problems in multiple quality of life domains following the completion of adjuvant chemotherapy treatment. Demographic and medical characteristics explain individual differences in mental but not physical aspects of patient quality of life. These findings demonstrate the need for interventions to improve the quality of life in breast cancer patients previously treated with adjuvant chemotherapy.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Breast Cancer Res Treat

DOI

ISSN

0167-6806

Publication Date

July 2000

Volume

62

Issue

2

Start / End Page

141 / 150

Location

Netherlands

Related Subject Headings

  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Quality of Life
  • Oncology & Carcinogenesis
  • Middle Aged
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Depression
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Breast Neoplasms
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Broeckel, J. A., Jacobsen, P. B., Balducci, L., Horton, J., & Lyman, G. H. (2000). Quality of life after adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat, 62(2), 141–150. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1006401914682
Broeckel, J. A., P. B. Jacobsen, L. Balducci, J. Horton, and G. H. Lyman. “Quality of life after adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer.Breast Cancer Res Treat 62, no. 2 (July 2000): 141–50. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1006401914682.
Broeckel JA, Jacobsen PB, Balducci L, Horton J, Lyman GH. Quality of life after adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2000 Jul;62(2):141–50.
Broeckel, J. A., et al. “Quality of life after adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer.Breast Cancer Res Treat, vol. 62, no. 2, July 2000, pp. 141–50. Pubmed, doi:10.1023/a:1006401914682.
Broeckel JA, Jacobsen PB, Balducci L, Horton J, Lyman GH. Quality of life after adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2000 Jul;62(2):141–150.
Journal cover image

Published In

Breast Cancer Res Treat

DOI

ISSN

0167-6806

Publication Date

July 2000

Volume

62

Issue

2

Start / End Page

141 / 150

Location

Netherlands

Related Subject Headings

  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Quality of Life
  • Oncology & Carcinogenesis
  • Middle Aged
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Depression
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Breast Neoplasms