Syarifah Maisarah Syed Alwi1, Vairavan Narayanan2, Nur Aishah Mohd Taib1, Normah Che Din3. 1. Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 2. Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. nvairavan@um.edu.my. 3. School of Healthcare Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Health-related quality of life (QoL) is an important outcome measure in breast cancer management. Evidence of QoL of breast cancer patients in lower and middle-income countries remains scarce. We examined the level of QoL, cognitive impairment, psychological distresses, and the predictors of QoL among multiethnic Malaysian early-stage breast cancer survivors 1 to 3 years following chemotherapy. METHODS: A total of 160 breast cancer survivors from the University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) participated in this cross-sectional study. Their QoL was evaluated with the Malay version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (QLQ-C30) version 3.0. Cognitive functioning and psychological distress were evaluated using the Malay version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-BM) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), respectively. Data analysis was performed with Pearson's correlation and multiple regression analyses. RESULTS: At 1- to 3-year post-chemotherapy, the mean EORTC QLQ-C30 global health status of the breast cancer survivors was relatively low (60.5 over 100, SD = 10.88). One-third (31.9%) of them demonstrated cognitive impairment, and another 3.2% showed moderate to severe anxiety levels. The significant predictors for global health status and functioning included age, psychological distresses, cognitive performance, fatigue, appetite loss, insomnia, pain, and constipation. CONCLUSION: Our breast cancer survivors demonstrated poor global health status. Health care providers and policymakers must strive to provide holistic intervention strategies to improve the multiple dimensions of QoL and the cognitive and psychological functioning of this vulnerable population.
PURPOSE: Health-related quality of life (QoL) is an important outcome measure in breast cancer management. Evidence of QoL of breast cancer patients in lower and middle-income countries remains scarce. We examined the level of QoL, cognitive impairment, psychological distresses, and the predictors of QoL among multiethnic Malaysian early-stage breast cancer survivors 1 to 3 years following chemotherapy. METHODS: A total of 160 breast cancer survivors from the University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) participated in this cross-sectional study. Their QoL was evaluated with the Malay version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (QLQ-C30) version 3.0. Cognitive functioning and psychological distress were evaluated using the Malay version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-BM) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), respectively. Data analysis was performed with Pearson's correlation and multiple regression analyses. RESULTS: At 1- to 3-year post-chemotherapy, the mean EORTC QLQ-C30 global health status of the breast cancer survivors was relatively low (60.5 over 100, SD = 10.88). One-third (31.9%) of them demonstrated cognitive impairment, and another 3.2% showed moderate to severe anxiety levels. The significant predictors for global health status and functioning included age, psychological distresses, cognitive performance, fatigue, appetite loss, insomnia, pain, and constipation. CONCLUSION: Our breast cancer survivors demonstrated poor global health status. Health care providers and policymakers must strive to provide holistic intervention strategies to improve the multiple dimensions of QoL and the cognitive and psychological functioning of this vulnerable population.
Authors: Vincent Koppelmans; Monique M B Breteler; Willem Boogerd; Caroline Seynaeve; Chad Gundy; Sanne B Schagen Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 2012-02-27 Impact factor: 44.544
Authors: Victoria Wittmann; Melinda Látos; Zoltán Horváth; Zsolt Simonka; Attila Paszt; György Lázár; Márta Csabai Journal: Qual Life Res Date: 2017-03-29 Impact factor: 4.147
Authors: V Jenkins; V Shilling; G Deutsch; D Bloomfield; R Morris; S Allan; H Bishop; N Hodson; S Mitra; G Sadler; E Shah; R Stein; S Whitehead; J Winstanley Journal: Br J Cancer Date: 2006-03-27 Impact factor: 7.640