title: [Quality of life in Chilean breast cancer survivors].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Quality of Life (QOL) assessment may evaluate the impact of diseases and their treatment on the overall well-being of patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess QOL in Chilean breast cancer survivors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety one female breast cancer patients aged 60 ± 10 years, who finished their oncologic treatment at least a year prior to the assessment, who were disease free and in medical follow-up were included in the study. They completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 core questionnaire and the breast cancer module QLQ-BR23.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty eight percent of respondents were long term survivors (more than five years). Global QOL scores were high (73.6 ± 18.2), emotional scale had the lowest scores in QLQ-C30 functional scales (72.1). Symptoms with the highest scores were: Insomnia (= 21.2), pain (= 20.8), and fatigue (= 19.1). Body image, sexual function, and concern about the future were the most relevant problems. Body image was superior in patients with breast-conserving surgery (p = 0.008), and cognitive function was better in patients in early disease stage (p = 0.03) and in those with more than five years of survival (p = 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Even when global QOL scores were high, some symptoms were prevalent. Awareness about these problems and symptoms should improve their diagnosis and treatment.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Calidad de Vida, Instituto Oncológico Fundación Arturo López Pérez, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: M Elisa
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Irarrázaval
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Calidad de Vida, Instituto Oncológico Fundación Arturo López Pérez, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kleinman
authors.affiliation: Metodología de la Investigación, Instituto Oncológico Fundación Arturo López Pérez, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Silva R
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Calidad de Vida, Instituto Oncológico Fundación Arturo López Pérez, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Loreto
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fernández González
authors.affiliation: Unidad Cirugía Oncoplástica Mamas, Instituto Oncológico Fundación Arturo López Pérez, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Camilo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.affiliation: Unidad Cirugía Oncoplástica Mamas, Instituto Oncológico Fundación Arturo López Pérez, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fritis
authors.affiliation: Unidad Cirugía Oncoplástica Mamas, Instituto Oncológico Fundación Arturo López Pérez, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barriga
authors.affiliation: Unidad Cirugía Oncoplástica Mamas, Instituto Oncológico Fundación Arturo López Pérez, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Waintrub
mesh_terms: D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D002677:Chile; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis