Post treatment quality of life among Sri Lankan women with breast cancer
Abstract Background Breast cancer and its treatment imposes a significant effect in the quality of life (QOL) of women. Being a developing country with contrasting social and cultural norms to the West, Sri Lankan women may have a different experience on QOL following surgical treatment of breast ca...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2021-03-01
|
| Series: | BMC Cancer |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-021-08055-5 |
| _version_ | 1819174834438930432 |
|---|---|
| author | Ravindri Jayasinghe Ashan Fernando Umesh Jayarajah Sanjeewa Seneviratne |
| author_facet | Ravindri Jayasinghe Ashan Fernando Umesh Jayarajah Sanjeewa Seneviratne |
| author_sort | Ravindri Jayasinghe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Breast cancer and its treatment imposes a significant effect in the quality of life (QOL) of women. Being a developing country with contrasting social and cultural norms to the West, Sri Lankan women may have a different experience on QOL following surgical treatment of breast cancer. This study was conducted to evaluate post-treatment QOL in breast cancer patients and to determine its association with the type of surgery. Methods A cross sectional study was carried out. Fifty four women with non-metastatic breast cancer who underwent surgery for breast cancer at the Professorial Surgical Unit, Colombo during 2015–2018 and completed a minimum of one year follow up after surgery were invited to participate. Fifty-four women who responded were assessed using the validated EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23 questionnaires. Non-parametric tests were used for statistical analyses. Results The mean age was 59 years (range 36–81). A majority (61%, n = 35) underwent mastectomy and the rest (n = 19, 45%) breast conservation surgery (BCS). The mean QLQ-C30 score was 68.8 (range 8.3–100) and the mean scores for physical function, role function, emotional function, cognitive function, and social function were 71.4, 81.5, 77.0, 80.2, and 86.4, respectively. The mean scores for body image, sexual functioning, sexual enjoyment, future perspective, systemic therapy, breast symptoms, arm symptoms, and hair loss assessed by the QLQ-BR23 were 76.4, 18.3, 33.3, 73.6, 30.5, 16.2, 23.4 and 32.7, respectively. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were noted in global health status, physical function, role function, emotional function, cognitive function and social function between BCS and mastectomy. QLQ-BR23 body image, sexual functioning, sexual enjoyment and future perspective also did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) between the two groups. Conclusions Sexual functioning and enjoyment, breast and arm symptoms and hair loss contributed to poor QOL while the impact on global health status including physical, social and emotional functions were minimal. Type of surgery did not appear to be associated with QOL. Future studies with a larger sample sizes will be helpful to further study these factors. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T20:45:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-348b03cc3adc4c50a44e758aebf844c9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2407 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T20:45:16Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Cancer |
| spelling | doaj.art-348b03cc3adc4c50a44e758aebf844c92022-12-21T18:13:15ZengBMCBMC Cancer1471-24072021-03-012111810.1186/s12885-021-08055-5Post treatment quality of life among Sri Lankan women with breast cancerRavindri Jayasinghe0Ashan Fernando1Umesh Jayarajah2Sanjeewa Seneviratne3Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of ColomboDepartment of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of ColomboDepartment of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of ColomboDepartment of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of ColomboAbstract Background Breast cancer and its treatment imposes a significant effect in the quality of life (QOL) of women. Being a developing country with contrasting social and cultural norms to the West, Sri Lankan women may have a different experience on QOL following surgical treatment of breast cancer. This study was conducted to evaluate post-treatment QOL in breast cancer patients and to determine its association with the type of surgery. Methods A cross sectional study was carried out. Fifty four women with non-metastatic breast cancer who underwent surgery for breast cancer at the Professorial Surgical Unit, Colombo during 2015–2018 and completed a minimum of one year follow up after surgery were invited to participate. Fifty-four women who responded were assessed using the validated EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23 questionnaires. Non-parametric tests were used for statistical analyses. Results The mean age was 59 years (range 36–81). A majority (61%, n = 35) underwent mastectomy and the rest (n = 19, 45%) breast conservation surgery (BCS). The mean QLQ-C30 score was 68.8 (range 8.3–100) and the mean scores for physical function, role function, emotional function, cognitive function, and social function were 71.4, 81.5, 77.0, 80.2, and 86.4, respectively. The mean scores for body image, sexual functioning, sexual enjoyment, future perspective, systemic therapy, breast symptoms, arm symptoms, and hair loss assessed by the QLQ-BR23 were 76.4, 18.3, 33.3, 73.6, 30.5, 16.2, 23.4 and 32.7, respectively. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were noted in global health status, physical function, role function, emotional function, cognitive function and social function between BCS and mastectomy. QLQ-BR23 body image, sexual functioning, sexual enjoyment and future perspective also did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) between the two groups. Conclusions Sexual functioning and enjoyment, breast and arm symptoms and hair loss contributed to poor QOL while the impact on global health status including physical, social and emotional functions were minimal. Type of surgery did not appear to be associated with QOL. Future studies with a larger sample sizes will be helpful to further study these factors.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-021-08055-5Quality of lifeBreast cancerMastectomyBreast-conserving surgerySri Lanka |
| spellingShingle | Ravindri Jayasinghe Ashan Fernando Umesh Jayarajah Sanjeewa Seneviratne Post treatment quality of life among Sri Lankan women with breast cancer BMC Cancer Quality of life Breast cancer Mastectomy Breast-conserving surgery Sri Lanka |
| title | Post treatment quality of life among Sri Lankan women with breast cancer |
| title_full | Post treatment quality of life among Sri Lankan women with breast cancer |
| title_fullStr | Post treatment quality of life among Sri Lankan women with breast cancer |
| title_full_unstemmed | Post treatment quality of life among Sri Lankan women with breast cancer |
| title_short | Post treatment quality of life among Sri Lankan women with breast cancer |
| title_sort | post treatment quality of life among sri lankan women with breast cancer |
| topic | Quality of life Breast cancer Mastectomy Breast-conserving surgery Sri Lanka |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-021-08055-5 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ravindrijayasinghe posttreatmentqualityoflifeamongsrilankanwomenwithbreastcancer AT ashanfernando posttreatmentqualityoflifeamongsrilankanwomenwithbreastcancer AT umeshjayarajah posttreatmentqualityoflifeamongsrilankanwomenwithbreastcancer AT sanjeewaseneviratne posttreatmentqualityoflifeamongsrilankanwomenwithbreastcancer |