title: Quality of life and the effect on social status among Slovenian women after breast cancer treatment.
abstract: This study investigated whether the type of surgical procedure used to treat breast cancer (mastectomy versus breast-conserving lumpectomy) had any effect on the quality of life and social status of women. The prospective analysis included 382 women newly diagnosed with non-metastatic breast cancer who had undergone a surgical intervention for breast carcinoma at our institution: 198 patients had undergone mastectomy with axillary lymphadenectomy and 184 patients had undergone breast-conserving lumpectomy with local axillary lympha-denectomy. The post-mastectomy women reported significantly more financial problems, a lowered social status and more physical symptoms compared with the breast-conserving post-lumpectomy patients. The patients that underwent lumpectomy were more satisfied with their body image and their sexual life. Since the adverse financial effects of wage loss can significantly decrease a patient's quality of life, this study indicates that post-mastectomy patients in particular need to be protected more effectively against a decline in their social status.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Department of Gynaecological Oncology, University Clinical Centre Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia. borut.gorisek@sb-mb.si
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gorisek
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Krajnc
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Krajnc
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001828:Body Image; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012923:Social Class