Health-related quality of life in long-term breast cancer survivors: nationwide survey in Denmark.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in a nationally representative sample of long-term breast cancer survivors (BCS) in Denmark.


METHODS
An age-stratified random sample of 2,000 female BCS > or = 5 years after primary surgery without recurrence was drawn from the Danish Breast Cancer Cooperative Group register, which is representative regarding long-term BCS in Denmark, and compared with 3,104 women of the nationally representative Danish Health and Morbidity Survey 2000. The Short Form-36 questionnaire assessed HRQOL and its association with BCS' sociodemography, type of surgery, systemic therapy, radiotherapy, time since operation, receptor status, and low/high risk protocol.


RESULTS
The response rate was 79%. BCS tended to rate HRQOL better than the general female population. BCS reported significantly less "bodily pain" (P < 0.0001), better "general health" (P < 0.0001), but worse "mental health" (P < 0.0001). Age interacted significantly with four other subscales (P < 0.05): Younger BCS reported worse HRQOL than equally aged women of the general population, while older BCS reported better HRQOL. Poor HRQOL was significantly associated with being single (all subscales: P < 0.05), short education (all subscales: P < 0.05, except "social function"), and high body mass index ("physical function", "role physical": P < 0.05). Breast cancer (low/high risk, receptor status) and treatment did not affect HRQOL.


CONCLUSIONS
HRQOL was similar between BCS and women of the general population. Potential long-term effects of breast cancer (low/high risk, receptor status) and treatment did not seem to impact HRQOL. However, predictors for worse HRQOL in BCS were being single, and having a short education.
Peuckmann
Vera
V
Multidisciplinary Pain Centre, University Hospital Rigshospitalet 7612, Blegdamsvej 9, Copenhagen Ø 2100, Denmark. vpeuckmann@ukaachen.de
Ekholm
Ola
O
Rasmussen
Niels Kristian
NK
Møller
Susanne
S
Groenvold
Mogens
M
Christiansen
Peer
P
Eriksen
Jørgen
J
Sjøgren
Per
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012042:Registries; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*