Quality of life after sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection in stage I/II breast cancer patients: a prospective longitudinal study.
BACKGROUND
Breast cancer patients' quality of life (QoL) after surgery has been reported to improve significantly over time. Little is known about QoL recovery after sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in comparison to axillary lymph node dissection (ALND).


METHODS
175 of 195 stage I/II breast cancer patients completed the EORTC QLQ-C30: one day before surgery (T0) and after 6 (T1), 26 (T2), 52 (T3) and 104 (T4) weeks. Of these, 54 patients underwent SLNB, 56 SLNB+ALND and 65 ALND. General linear models and paired T-tests between T0-T4 and T1-T4 were computed. Complications, radiotherapy and systemic therapy were added to the model.


RESULTS
Significant time effects were found on physical, role and emotional functioning. Physical and role functioning decreased between T0 and T1. At T4, SLNB patients' functioning had increased to their T0 level; ALND (+/- SLNB) patients' functioning had increased, but had not improved to T0 level. Emotional functioning increased linearly between T0 and T4. At T4, emotional functioning was significantly higher in all groups as compared with T0. No significant group or interaction (time x group) effects were found. Complications and chemotherapy had a significant negative effect on role, emotional and cognitive functioning. Complications had a significant effect on social functioning also. Effect sizes varied between 0.00 and 0.06.


CONCLUSIONS
Two years post surgery, breast cancer patients' QoL is comparable to that shortly before surgery. Women rated their emotional functioning as even better. SLNB is not associated with a better QoL than ALND. However, undergoing systemic therapy and/or experiencing complications affects QoL negatively.
Kootstra
Jan
J
Department of Surgical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 30.001, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Hoekstra-Weebers
Josette E H M
JE
Rietman
Hans
H
de Vries
Jaap
J
Baas
Peter
P
Geertzen
Jan H B
JH
Hoekstra
Harald J
HJ
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires