To be young, Black, and living with breast cancer: a systematic review of health-related quality of life in young Black breast cancer survivors.
Compared with young White women, young Black women are more likely to present with aggressive breast cancer (BC) subtypes that are potentially linked to worse health-related quality of life (HRQOL); however, there is limited consensus regarding HRQOL needs among young Black BC survivors. Employing Ferrell's framework on QOL in BC (i.e., physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being), we conducted a systematic review on HRQOL among Black BC survivors aged <50 years and proposed recommendations for advancing HRQOL research and care for this population.



Literature searches were conducted in MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO to identify relevant articles published from 1995 to 2015. Abstracts and full-text articles were screened using predetermined inclusion/exclusion criteria and evaluated for quality.



A total of 2533 articles were identified, but six met eligibility criteria. Most studies examined multiple HRQOL domains, with the psychological domain most represented. Compared with their older, White, and BC-free counterparts, young Black BC survivors reported greater fear of dying, unmet supportive care needs, financial distress, and lower physical/functional well-being. However, spiritual well-being appeared favorable for young Black survivors. Research gaps include the absence of longitudinal studies and under-representation of studies examining physical, social, and particularly, spiritual HRQOL in young Black BC survivors.



Young Black BC survivors generally experience suboptimal HRQOL after BC diagnosis. As few studies have reported on HRQOL among this group, future research and oncology care should prioritize young Black women in ways that recognize their unique concerns, in order to ensure better HRQOL outcomes both during and after treatment.
Department of Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1105F McGavran-Greenberg Hall, Chapel Hill, NC, CB#7411, USA. cleo_samuel@unc.edu.|Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 450 West Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, CB#7295, USA. cleo_samuel@unc.edu.|Center for Health Equity Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 323 MacNider Hall, Chapel Hill, NC, CB#7240, USA. cleo_samuel@unc.edu.|Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 725 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Chapel Hill, NC, CB#7590, USA. cleo_samuel@unc.edu.|North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences (NC TraCS) Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Brinkhous-Bullitt Building, Second Floor, 160 N. Medical Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, CB#7064, USA. cleo_samuel@unc.edu.
Cleo A
CA
Samuel
Department of Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1105F McGavran-Greenberg Hall, Chapel Hill, NC, CB#7411, USA.
Laura C
LC
Pinheiro
Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 450 West Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, CB#7295, USA.|UNC Breast Center, NC Cancer Hospital, 101 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.|UNC School of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Physicians Office Building, Third Floor, 170 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, CB#7305, USA.
Katherine E
KE
Reeder-Hayes
University of North Carolina Health Sciences Library, 335 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, CB#7585, USA.
Jennifer S
JS
Walker
Center for Health Equity Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 323 MacNider Hall, Chapel Hill, NC, CB#7240, USA.|Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 725 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Chapel Hill, NC, CB#7590, USA.|North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences (NC TraCS) Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Brinkhous-Bullitt Building, Second Floor, 160 N. Medical Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, CB#7064, USA.|Department of Social Medicine, UNC School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 333 S. Columbia Street, MacNider Hall, Room #348, Chapel Hill, NC, CB#7240, USA.|Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 111 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, CB#7105, USA.
Giselle
G
Corbie-Smith
Department of Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1105F McGavran-Greenberg Hall, Chapel Hill, NC, CB#7411, USA.
Shekinah A
SA
Fashaw
School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 4015 Carrington Hall, Chapel Hill, NC, CB#7460, USA.
Cheryl
C
Woods-Giscombe
Department of Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1105F McGavran-Greenberg Hall, Chapel Hill, NC, CB#7411, USA.|Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 450 West Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, CB#7295, USA.|Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 725 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Chapel Hill, NC, CB#7590, USA.
Stephanie B
SB
Wheeler
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000367:Age Factors; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000073116:Cancer Survivors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
Black African-American; Breast cancer; Premenopausal; Quality of life