Women with breast cancer: their quality of life following a course of radiation therapy.
The study assessed the quality of life of 53 women who had a lumpectomy or other breast-conserving surgery for breast cancer followed by radiation therapy. The women were interviewed a mean of 7 weeks after the course of radiation therapy regarding their functioning, emotional distress, and symptoms. Functioning was measured by the Sickness Impact Profile, emotional distress by the Profile of Mood States, and symptoms by the Symptom Distress Scale. Although the women were not experiencing many changes in their usual activities, were not distressed emotionally, and were experiencing very few symptoms, they were experiencing fatigue. Those who experienced the most fatigue had the most symptoms and the poorest level of functioning.
Graduate Department of Nursing Science, Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
J E
JE
Graydon
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D012494:Sampling Studies; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires