Quality of life in Arab women with breast cancer: a review of the literature.
BACKGROUND
Quality of life has become an important concept in cancer care. Among the quality of lifestudies in cancer patients, breast cancer has received most attention. This review reports on quality of life in Arab patients with breast cancer.


METHODS
The search was conducted using inclusion and exclusion criteria and in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The databases consulted were PubMed, Sciences Direct, Index Medicus for Wordl Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean, African Journals Online and African Index Medicus.


RESULTS
Thirteen articles from eight countries met the inclusion criteria. The EORTC quality of life questionnaires (QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23) were the most used instrument (7 out of 13). The results showed that good scores of global health were recorded at Arab women living in United Arab Emirates (mean score = 74.6) compared to other countries. The results indicated that there was a difference in quality of life scores and its associated factors among Arab women with breast cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
This paper is the first that reviewed published research on quality of life among Arab women with breast cancer. We found that insufficient results-related information is available.
Laboratory of Genetic, Neuroendocrinology and Biotechnology, University Ibn Tofail, Faculty of Sciences, Kenitra, Morocco. hrahoubouchra@yahoo.fr.
Bouchra
B
Haddou Rahou
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and pharmacy of Fez, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdillah University, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdillah, Morocco.
Karima
K
El Rhazi
Laboratory of Genetic, Neuroendocrinology and Biotechnology, University Ibn Tofail, Faculty of Sciences, Kenitra, Morocco.
Fatima
F
Ouasmani
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and pharmacy of Fez, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdillah University, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdillah, Morocco.
Chakib
C
Nejjari
Fondation Lalla Salma Prevention and Treatment of Cancers, Rabat, Morocco.
Rachid
R
Bekkali
Mental Health Research Group, Health Metrics Research Centre, Iranian Institute for Health Sciences Research, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
Ali
A
Montazeri
Laboratory of Genetic, Neuroendocrinology and Biotechnology, University Ibn Tofail, Faculty of Sciences, Kenitra, Morocco.
Abdelhalem
A
Mesfioui
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018912:Arabs / Q000523:psychology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*
Arab women; Breast cancer; Quality of life