The patient's needs before and six months after the initiation of breast cancer treatment: A prospective study in 600 breast cancer patients.

Authors

null

Mateja Kurir Borovcic

Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Mateja Kurir Borovcic , Zlatka Mavric , Tina Zagar , Vesna Homar , Nena Kopcavar Gucek , Andreja Cirila Skufca Smrdel , Jana Knific , Simona Borstnar , Tanja Marinko , Lorna Zadravec Zaletel , Natasa Kos , Branka Strazisar , Tatjana Slapar , Denis Mastnak Mlakar , Nina Kovacevic , Vedran Hadzic , Bojan Pelhan , Marko Sremec , Tina Rozman , Nikola Besic

Organizations

Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia, Community Health Centre Vrhnika, Vrhnika, Slovenia, Community Health Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia, Division of Medical Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia, University Medical Center Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia, Faculty of Sport, Ljubljana, Slovenia, University Rehabilitation Institute Republic of Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Research Funding

Other

Background: Our aim was to determine the frequency of health-related problems faced by breast cancer patients before and six months after the initiation of breast cancer treatment. Methods: This prospective study involved 600 female breast cancer patients (26-65 years, mean 52), who participated in the pilot study in the novel individualized integrated rehabilitation programme in 2019-2022 and were followed for at least six months. The patients completed three questionnaires (EORTC QLQ - C30, B23 and NCCN) before the initiation of cancer treatment and six months after. The patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy in 22% of the cases, tumorectomy in 53%, mastectomy in 39%, breast reconstruction in 27%, sentinel node biopsy in 67%, lymphadenectomy in 23%, external beam radiotherapy in 73%, chemotherapy in 45%, anti-HER-2 therapy in 11% and hormonal therapy in 74% of the cases. Data on the patients’ demographics, disease extent, cancer treatment and problems reported in the questionnaires were collected and analysed using descriptive analysis. Results: The problems reported by patients before the initiation of cancer treatment and after six months are presented in Table. In 14 out of 22 parameters, the frequency of problems increased in the six months after the initiation of treatment: fatigue, insomnia, lymphedema, shoulder movement impairment, disturbing scars, heart problems, hot flashes/sweating, gynaecological problems, sexual problems, body image worries, inappropriate nutrition, pain in the shoulder or arm, alopecia and concerns about returning to work. On the other hand, the frequency of problems decreased six months after the initiation of cancer treatment in 6 out of 22 parameters. Our patients less often had depression or anxiety, were too little physically active, smoked, consumed alcohol or used food supplements than before. Conclusions: Six months after the initiation of breast cancer treatment patients have more problems than at the time before treatment.

Comparison of patient’s problems before and six months after the beginning of cancer treatment.

Parameter
Before the initiation of cancer therapy

(%)
Six months after the initiation of cancer therapy

(%)
p-value
Depression
41
37
0.06
Anxiety
61
48
0.001
Fatigue
50
68
0.001
Insomnia
55
67
0.001
Cognitive function impairment
34
33
0.35
Lymphedema
6
19
0.001
Shoulder movement impairment
5
15
0.001
Disturbing scars
-
36
-
Heart problems
4
10
0.005
Hot flushes or sweating
28
63
0.001
Gynaecological problems
21
39
0.001
Sexual problems
15
26
0.001
Body image worries
15
45
0.001
Too little physical activity (<150 minutes per week)
62
56
0.001
Smoking
24
15
0.001
Inappropriate nutrition
9
10
0.34
Consumption of alcohol
36
25
0.001
Overweight or obese
52
50
0.21
Use of food supplements
42
35
0.008
Pain in the shoulder or arm
9
19
0.001
Alopecia
-
28
-
Do not intend to return to work
8
13
0.02

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2022 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Publication Only

Session Title

Symptoms and Survivorship

Track

Symptom Science and Palliative Care

Sub Track

Late and Long-Term Adverse Effects

Citation

J Clin Oncol 40, 2022 (suppl 16; abstr e24062)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2022.40.16_suppl.e24062

Abstract #

e24062

Abstract Disclosures