Factors associated with health-related quality-of-life in breast cancer survivors: influence of the type of surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if health-related quality-of-life (QOL) differences existed between breast cancer (BC) survivors receiving mastectomy and those receiving breast-conserving treatment (BCT). Factors associated with QOL in long-term BC survivors were also identified.


METHODS
One hundred patients who had previously undergone BC surgery and were alive without recurrence for >5 years were asked to answer the patient-administered questionnaires to assess their QOL (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy scale-Breast: FACT-B) and psychological distress (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale: HADS). Of them, 93 responded to the questionnaires affirmatively.


RESULTS
Although none of the QOL scores were related to the surgical procedures, statistically significant relationships were found between age and the scores of FACT-General and social/family well-being (SWB), and between the educational status and scores of SWB in univariate analyses. There was no statistically significant relationship between psychological distress and each factor examined. In multivariate analyses, significant correlations were established between scores of the FACT-BC subscale (FACT-BCS) and the type of surgery and between those on the FACT SWB subscale and age at study or educational status. Namely, patients who had undergone BCT, younger patients and patients with higher educational background scored higher QOL.


CONCLUSIONS
Among the BC survivors, those who underwent BCT experienced significantly but slightly better QOL than those who received mastectomy in FACT-BCS assessments. Younger patients and patients with higher educational backgrounds experienced significantly better SWB.
Ohsumi
Shozo
S
Department of Breast Oncology, The National Hospital Organization Shikoku Cancer Center, Kou 160, Minami-umemoto-machi, Matsuyama 791-0280, Japan. sosumi@shikoku-cc.go.jp
Shimozuma
Kojiro
K
Morita
Satoshi
S
Hara
Fumikata
F
Takabatake
Daisuke
D
Takashima
Seiki
S
Taira
Naruto
N
Aogi
Kenjiro
K
Takashima
Shigemitsu
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016462:Mammaplasty / Q000523:psychology*; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*