Health-related quality of life during hormone therapy after breast cancer: a randomized trial.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of menopausal hormone therapy (HT) on health-related quality of life in women after breast cancer.


METHODS
In the Stockholm trial, breast cancer survivors were randomized to HT (estradiol and progestogen) or to a control group (no treatment). A subgroup of 75 women was studied (38 with HT, 37 controls). Fifty patients were on concomitant tamoxifen. Patients completed three questionnaires (EORTC QLQ C-30, EORTC QLQ-BR 23 and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)) during 1 year of treatment.


RESULTS
A significant group-by-time interaction was found for improvement of insomnia in the HT group (p < 0.001). Within the HT group, but not in the control group, there was significant improvement for HADS anxiety, HADS depression, emotional, cognitive, and social functions and global quality of life. When HT was added to tamoxifen, the increase in global quality of life was significant (p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The effects of HT on quality of life in breast cancer survivors have not previously been reported. The present data suggest that this controversial treatment may improve quality of life after breast cancer.
Fahlén
M
M
Department of Surgery, Capio St Görans Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Wallberg
B
B
von Schoultz
E
E
Carlström
K
K
Svensson
G
G
Wilking
N
N
Brandberg
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D003071:Cognition; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy; D005221:Fatigue / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use
D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D013629:Tamoxifen