The Impact of a Hospital-Based Awareness Program on the Knowledge of Patients About Breast Cancer and Cancer Cervix

Background: Breast cancer and cancer cervix contribute to high morbidity and mortality rates among women worldwide. Appropriate knowledge of both cancers can help in early detection and management. Aim: This study aimed to assess the effect of a hospital-based awareness program on the knowledge of patients attending some outpatient clinics in Sohag University Hospital regarding the 2 cancers. Subjects and Methods: The program was held in Sohag University Hospital on 150 female patients during the period between August and October 2018. The knowledge of the patients about the risk factors, symptoms, screening, and management of both cancers was first assessed using an interview questionnaire. Then, the awareness program included 4 sessions and every session discussed only 1 aspect of knowledge regarding both cancers. Later, patients were assessed again using the same questionnaire and the improvement was determined. Results: The mean age of the participating patients was 29.6 ± 6.7 years, 74.7% could read and write, and 85.3% were married. Only education was associated with better knowledge about breast cancer (p = 0.002) and cancer cervix (p = 0.007). Thanks to the program, the percent of patients with optimal knowledge of breast cancer improved from 14.7% to 50% (p < 0.001). This percent distributed as follows; risk factors 10% to 50% (p < 0.001), manifestations 20% to 60% (p < 0.001), screening 4% to 7% (р < 0.001), and management 24.8% to 63% (p < 0.001). Regarding cancer cervix, the improvement was as follows; total knowledge 13.3% to 46.2% (p < 0.001), risk factors 8% to 50% (p < 0.001), manifestations 12.2% to 50% (р < 0.001), screening 15% to 40% (р < 0.001), and management 18.2% to 44.8% (р < 0.001). Conclusion and Recommendations: Patients had suboptimal knowledge about breast cancer and cancer cervix. However, the program achieved remarkable successes in improving the knowledge of patients. Future programs on a wider scale and different populations should be considered.

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POS0998 SPONDYLOARTHRITIS AND SLEEP DISORDERS

Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases ◽

10.1136/annrheumdis-2021-eular.2909 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽

pp. 767.2-768

Author(s):

S. Lahrichi ◽

K. Nassar ◽

S. Janani

Keyword(s):

Functional Impairment ◽

Sleep Disturbances ◽

Negative Impact ◽

University Hospital ◽

Quality Of Sleep ◽

The Mean ◽

Sleep Deficit ◽

Impaired Sleep ◽

The Impact

Background:Spondyloarthropathies (SpA) are a group of chronic and progressive diseases, characterized in particular by a progressive stiffening of the spine, spreading to neighboring joints or to certain tissues, which could lead in the long term to progressive stiffening and functional impairment. This conditioncancauseinsomnia problems and impaired sleep quality.Objectives:To assess the impact of SpA on the quality of sleep.Methods:This is a retrospective study over a period of 4 years from January 2015 to December 2019, including all the medical records of patients with SpA followed in the Department of Rheumatology of the University Hospital of Ibn Rochd, Casablanca. We evaluated for each patient two validated scores: the Epworth somnolence scale rated from 0 to 24, and the Pittsburgh sleep score rated from 0 to 21 with 7 components. Patients with a psychiatric history or who were followed up for neurological pathologies were excluded.Results:178 patients were included. 60.67% were men with an average age of 36.32 years (14-68 years). 45.01% had axial SpA, 29.77% had psoriatic arthritis, and 25.22% were followed for SpA associated with inflammatory bowel disease. 45% had associated comorbidities: there were 18 diabetics and 34 hypertensive, 16.58% were smokers. Clinically, 85.42% presented a back pain initially on examination, 55% presented a polyarthralgia, and 39.88% an oligoarthritis. 63% had radiological sacroiliitis, and 35.14% had bilateral coxitis. 13.48% had a positive HLA B27 and 58.89% had a positive inflammatory assessment with very high activity indices,with a mean of 4.6. 64.66% of the patients received NSAIDs,of which 11% responded well. 57% were treated with csDMARDs, and 17.86% were treated with biologics. At the time of our study, the mean visual analog scale was 5.84 ± 1.7 out of 10 (2-9). The mean Epworth score was 8.38 ± 5.2 (0-21). 56.1% of patients had no sleep debt, 33.3% had a sleep deficit, and only 10.6% had signs of drowsiness. For the overall Pittsburgh score, the mean was 7.02 ± 3.6 (1-18). The mean of “subjective quality of sleep” was 1.12, “sleep latency” was 1.22, “duration of sleep” was 1.06, “usual sleep efficiency” was 0.74, “Sleep disturbance” of 1.28, “use of a sleep medication” of 0.54, and the average of the component concerning “poor shape during the day” was 1.03 out of 3. The LEQUESNE index went from an average of 6 to 8, which corresponds to an average handicap (P = 0.2) over a period of 3 years. 68% of the patients had an alteration in the quality of sleep, starting on average three years after the onset of symptoms. 11% reported having experiencedanxiety and depressive symptoms, and reported having used antidepressants or anxiolytics in the past 5 years.Conclusion:Our study showed the negative impact of SpA on the duration and overall quality of sleep. The degree of pain as well as functional impairment can cause and worsen sleep disturbances in SpA. We have shown that the Pittsburg score increases significantly with the increase of pain.The Lequesne score and that the Epworth score increase with disease activity[1].References:[1]StolwijkC,vanTubergenA,Castillo-OrtizJD,BoonenA.Prevalenceofextra-articularmanifestationsinpatientswithankylosingspondylitis:asystematicreviewandmeta-analysis.AnnRheumDis2015;74:65—73.Disclosure of Interests:None declared.

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Prognostic Value of Metabolic Activity of the Psoas Muscle Evaluated By Preoperative 18 F- FDG PET-CT in Breast Cancer: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-561129/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Keunyoung Kim ◽

In-Ju Kim ◽

Kyoungjune Pak ◽

Taewoo Kang ◽

Young Mi Seol ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Metabolic Activity ◽

Cox Regression ◽

Surrogate Marker ◽

Psoas Muscle ◽

University Hospital ◽

Cox Regression Analysis ◽

Standardized Uptake Values ◽

The Mean ◽

Receptor Negativity

Abstract Background: This study aimed to evaluate the potential of metabolic activity of the psoas muscle measured by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography to predict treatment outcomes in patients with resectable breast cancer.Methods: The medical records of 288 patients who had undergone surgical resection for stages I–III invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast between January 2014 and December 2014 in Pusan National University Hospital were reviewed. The standardized uptake values (SUVs) of the bilateral psoas muscle were normalized using the mean SUV of the liver. SUVRmax was calculated as the ratio of the maximum SUV of the average bilateral psoas muscle to the mean SUV of the liver. SUVRmean was calculated as the ratio of the averaged bilateral psoas muscle to the mean SUV of the liver.Results: Univariate analyses identified a higher T stage, higher N stage, estrogen receptor negativity, progesterone receptor negativity, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positivity, triple-negative breast cancer, mastectomy (rather than breast-conserving surgery), SUVRmean > 0.464, and SUVRmax > 0.565 as significant adverse factors for progression-free survival (PFS). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that N3 stage (hazard ratio [HR] = 5.347, P = 0.031) was an independent factor for recurrence. An SUVRmax > 0.565 (HR = 4.987, P = 0.050) seemed to have a correlation with shorter PFS.Conclusions: A higher SUVRmax of the psoas muscle, which could be a surrogate marker of insulin resistance, showed strong potential as an independent prognostic factor for recurrence in patients with resectable breast cancer.

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Embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) cohort of Brazilian patients in a university hospital

Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria ◽

10.1590/0004-282x20190045 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 77 (5) ◽

pp. 315-320

Author(s):

Gabriel Pinheiro Modolo ◽

Juli Thomaz De Souza ◽

Fernanda Cristina Winckler ◽

Natalia Cristina Ferreira ◽

Marcos Cristiano Lange ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Medical Records ◽

Health Financing ◽

National Institutes Of Health ◽

Embolic Stroke ◽

University Hospital ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Important Group ◽

Small Cohort ◽

The Mean

ABSTRACT Embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) is an important group of cryptogenic strokes that are in evidence due recent ongoing trials. We reviewed medical records at discharge from the stroke unit of all patients who met ESUS criteria and attended our institution between February 2016 and July 2017. Among 550 stroke patients, 51 had ESUS. We found that hypertension (60%), diabetes mellitus (34%), and smoking (36%) were the most prevalent risk factors. The mean National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores were 7 at admission and 4 at discharge, while median scores on the modified Rankin scale were 0 and 2 at admission and discharge, respectively. Our sample had similar ages, risk factors prevalence and NIHSS scores at admission and discharge when compared with European and North American cohorts. Although a small cohort, our study suggests that the ESUS population is similar in countries with different health financing.

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Peritoneal Morphology after Long-Term Peritoneal Dialysis with Biocompatible Fluid: Recent Clinical Practice in Japan

Peritoneal Dialysis International ◽

10.3747/pdi.2010.00234 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 32 (2) ◽

pp. 159-167 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Nobuhiro Ayuzawa ◽

Yoshitaka Ishibashi ◽

Yutaka Takazawa ◽

Haruki Kume ◽

Toshiro Fujita

Keyword(s):

Peritoneal Dialysis ◽

Clinical Practice ◽

University Hospital ◽

Dialysis Therapy ◽

Compact Zone ◽

Peritoneal Biopsy ◽

The Mean ◽

The Impact ◽

Peritoneal Morphology

♦BackgroundMorphology changes of the peritoneal membrane after long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD) consist of denudation of peritoneal mesothelial cells, interstitial sclerosis, and hyalinizing vasculopathy. Those changes are considered to be the result of uremia and bioincompatible effects of conventional acidic lactate-buffered dialysate with glucose degradation products (GDPs). In the last decade, biocompatible dialysate with neutral pH and low GDPs has become widely used. Clinical practice has been modified in Japan, especially for anuric patients, and now includes the use of hybrid therapy. The impact on peritoneal morphology has not been well reported.♦ ObjectiveThe aim of the present study was to investigate the long-term effect on peritoneal morphology and function of biocompatible fluid use and current clinical practice in Japan, including hybrid dialysis therapy.♦MethodsWe evaluated peritoneal biopsy specimens from patients who had undergone PD for more than 3 years. We used the average peritoneal thickness (APT) of the submesothelial compact zone as a marker of interstitial sclerosis and the lumen/vessel diameter ratio (L/V ratio) at postcapillary venules as a marker of hyalinizing vasculopathy. Demography and other data for the patients, including dialysate-to-plasma (D/P) ratio of creatinine, were obtained at baseline and every 6 months by peritoneal equilibration test.♦ResultsBetween 2002 and 2009, 110 patients started PD therapy with biocompatible dialysate at Tokyo University Hospital. Among them, 11 patients (8 men, 3 women; age: 54.2 ± 11.8 years; 1 with diabetes mellitus) were enrolled into this morphology study. The mean duration of PD in this group was 61 ± 11.3 months, and the mean time to peritoneal biopsy was 58 ± 15.1 months. The median APT was 180 μm (96 – 1424 μm), and the median L/V ratio was 0.66 (0.46 – 0.74). No obvious correlations between APT, L/V ratio, and PD duration were detected. The D/P creatinine of the 11 patients was maintained at a favorably low value, comparable with that of the other 99 patients.♦ConclusionsPeritoneal dialysis therapy using biocompatible dialysate in conjunction with modification of clinical practice may minimize the progression of peritoneal interstitial sclerosis and hyalinizing vasculopathy, preserving favorable peritoneal function for more than 3 years.

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Modifiable Lifestyle Factors: Opportunities for (Hereditary) Breast Cancer Prevention - a Narrative Review

Breast Care ◽

10.1159/000488995 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 108-113 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Jacqueline Lammert ◽

Sabine Grill ◽

Marion Kiechle

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Risk Factors ◽

Breast Cancer Risk ◽

Cancer Risk ◽

Cancer Prevention ◽

Healthy Lifestyle ◽

Absolute Risk ◽

Lifestyle Factors ◽

Breast Cancer Prevention ◽

The Impact

Increasing rates of obesity, lack of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and frequent alcohol consumption are major lifestyle-related risk factors for breast cancer. In fact, it has been estimated that about one-third of breast cancer cases are attributable to factors women can change. Most research has focused on examining the impact of one single exposure on breast cancer risk while adjusting for other risk modifiers. Capitalizing on big data, major efforts have been made to evaluate the combined impact of well-established lifestyle factors on overall breast cancer risk. At the individual level, data indicate that even simple behavior modifications could have a considerable impact on breast cancer prevention. Moreover, there is emerging new evidence that adopting a healthy lifestyle may be particularly relevant for women with hereditary susceptibility to breast cancer. On the absolute risk scale, studies suggest that the presence of certain risk factors, such as excessive body weight, had a substantially higher impact on breast cancer risk if women had a hereditary predisposition to cancer. The existing body of knowledge gives the medical professionals guidance as to which factors to focus on when counseling patients. However, well-designed randomized controlled trials utilizing objective methods are crucial to providing concrete recommendations.

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‘BRCA1’ RESPONSIVENESS TOWARDS BREAST CANCER-A POPULATION-WISE PHARMACOGENOMIC ANALYSIS

International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences ◽

10.22159/ijpps.2016.v8i9.13457 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 8 (9) ◽

pp. 267 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Preethi M. Iyer ◽

Sanjay Kumar P. ◽

Karthikeyan S. ◽

P. K Krishnan Namboori

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Risk Factors ◽

New Zealand ◽

Environmental Factors ◽

Chromosome 17 ◽

Base Pairs ◽

Single Nucleotide ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Variation Database ◽

Different Populations

Objective: In the present pharmacogenomic work, the genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors associated with BRCA1 induced breast cancer, cancer proneness and its variants across different populations like Indian, Netherland, Belgium, Denmark, Austrian, New Zealand, Sweden, Malaysian and Norwegian and the ‘mutation and methylation-prone’ region of BRCA1 have been computed.Methods: The global variations associated with the disease have been identified from the ‘Leiden open variation database (LOVD 3.0)’ and ‘Indian genome variation database (IGVDB)’. The variants, ‘single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)’ are then characterized. The epigenetic factors associated with breast cancer have been identified from the clinical reports and further scrutinized using EpiGRAPH tool. The various contributing environmental factors responsible for the variations have been considered.Results: All the variants across different populations such as Indian, Netherland, Belgium, Denmark, Austrian, New Zealand, Sweden, Malaysian and Norwegian are found to be in a specific transcript of BRCA1 that ranges within 41,196,312-41,277,500 (81,189 base pairs) of the chromosome 17. Two ‘single nucleotide variations (SNVs)’ (5266dupC: rs397507246 and 68_69delAG: rs386833395) have been identified as risk factors in hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome in the global population and 39 SNPs have been identified as pathogenic and deleterious. ‘Evolutionary history’ seems to be the most significant attribute in the predictability of methylation of BRCA1. Unhealthy dietary habits, obesity, use of unsafe cosmetics, estrogen exposure, ‘hormone replacement therapy (HRT)’, use of oral contraceptives and smoking are the major environmental risk factors associated with breast cancer incidence.Conclusion: This chromosome location (41,196,312-41,277,500 (81,189 base pairs)) can be considered as the population-specific sensitive region corresponding to BRCA1 mutation. This supports the fact that stabilization within the region can be a promising technique to control the epigenetic variants associated with the global position. The global variation in the proneness of the disease may be due to a cumulative effect of genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors subject to further experimentations with identical variations and populations.

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Impact of antibiotic resistance on outcomes of neutropenic cancer patients withPseudomonas aeruginosabacteraemia (IRONIC study): study protocol of a retrospective multicentre international study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2018-025744 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. e025744 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Adaia Albasanz-Puig ◽

Carlota Gudiol ◽

Rocío Parody ◽

Cristian Tebe ◽

Murat Akova ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Antibiotic Resistance ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Case Fatality ◽

International Study ◽

Multidrug Resistant ◽

University Hospital ◽

Personal Privacy ◽

Haematological Patients ◽

The Impact

IntroductionPseudomonas aeruginosa(PA) has historically been one of the major causes of severe sepsis and death among neutropenic cancer patients. There has been a recent increase of multidrug-resistant PA (MDRPA) isolates that may determine a worse prognosis, particularly in immunosuppressed patients. The aim of this study is to establish the impact of antibiotic resistance on the outcome of neutropenic onco-haematological patients with PA bacteraemia, and to identify the risk factors for MDRPA bacteraemia and mortality.Methods and analysisThis is a retrospective, observational, multicentre, international study. All episodes of PA bacteraemia occurring in neutropenic onco-haematological patients followed up at the participating centres from 1 January 2006 to 31 May 2018 will be retrospectively reviewed. The primary end point will be overall case-fatality rate within 30 days of onset of PA bacteraemia. The secondary end points will be to describe the following: the incidence and risk factors for multidrug-resistant and extremely drug-resistant PA bacteraemia (by comparing the episodes due to susceptible PA with those produced by MDRPA), the efficacy of ceftolozane/tazobactam, the rates of persistent bacteraemia and bacteraemia relapse and the risk factors for very early (48 hours), early (7 days) and overall (30 days) case-fatality rates.Ethics and disseminationThe Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Bellvitge University Hospital approved the protocol of the study at the primary site. To protect personal privacy, identifying information of each patient in the electronic database will be encrypted. The processing of the patients’ personal data collected in the study will comply with the Spanish Data Protection Act of 1998 and with the European Directive on the privacy of data. All data collected, stored and processed will be anonymised. Results will be reported at conferences and in peer-reviewed publications.

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Bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis of the jaw: Incidence and risk factors in patients with breast cancer and gynecological malignancies

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2007.25.18_suppl.1113 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 25 (18_suppl) ◽

pp. 1113-1113

Author(s):

V. Beck ◽

E. Solomayer ◽

M. Krimmel ◽

C. Reinert ◽

T. Fehm

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Risk Factors ◽

Zoledronic Acid ◽

Bone Metastases ◽

Osteonecrosis Of The Jaw ◽

Bisphosphonate Therapy ◽

Gynecological Malignancies ◽

Dental Procedures ◽

The Mean ◽

Number Of Treatment

1113 Background: Bisphosphonates are potent inhibitors of osteoclast-mediated bone resorption. They are successfully used in conditions of increased bone turnover such as osteoporosis or bone metastases. Since 2003 multiple cases of bisphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) were reported. Our purpose was to describe the incidence and risk factors of ONJ in patients with breast cancer or gynecological malignancies. Patients and Methods: ONJ was assessed retrospectively for all patients with breast cancer or gynecological malignancies treated with bisphosphonates at the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Tuebingen during April 1999 until May 2006. Results: 10 of 310 (3%) patients with breast cancer or gynecological malignancies developed ONJ while receiving bisphosphonate therapy. All patients with ONJ were treated for bone metastases. Except one all patients with ONJ had a history of recent dental procedures. All patients had received zoledronic acid as part of their bisphosphonate regimen. In 4 of 10 patients this was the only bisphosphonate given. The remaining 6 patients had received at least one of the other bisphosphonates (alendronate, ibandronate, clodronate or pamidronate) before or after zoledronic acid therapy during their course of disease. Time of exposure to bisphosphonates and the number of treatment cycles were significant risk factors for the development of ONJ (p<0.001). In patients diagnosed with ONJ the mean number of treatment cycles was 27 ±18 cycles (median: 21 cycles, range 6–62 cycles) and the mean duration of bisphosphonate therapy was 29 ±20 months (median: 22 months, range 1–67 months). In contrast, the mean number of treatment cycles in patients without manifestation of ONJ was 11 ±12 cycles (median: 6 cycles, range 1–90 cycles). The mean duration of therapy was 12 months (median: 7 months, range 1–81 months). Conclusion: Osteonecrosis of the jaw is regarded a major side effect of bisphosphonate therapy. Length of exposure to bisphosphonates and the number of treatment cycles seem to be the most important risk factors for the development of ONJ. In addition, recent dental procedures favours the development of an ONJ. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

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Association of baseline cardiovascular risk factors and health care utilization and costs in elderly breast cancer patients enrolled in SWOG clinical trials.

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2019.37.15_suppl.11508 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 37 (15_suppl) ◽

pp. 11508-11508

Author(s):

Dawn L. Hershman ◽

Cathee Till ◽

Jason Dennis Wright ◽

Melissa Kate Accordino ◽

Riha Vaidya ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Risk Factors ◽

Clinical Trials ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Healthcare Costs ◽

Disease Risk ◽

Breast Cancer Patients ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Clinical Records ◽

The Impact

11508 Background: Cardiovascular-disease risk factors (CVD-RFs) increase the risk of cardiac events in women undergoing chemotherapy. Less is known about the impact of CVD-RFs on healthcare utilization and costs. Methods: We examined breast cancer patients treated uniformly on SWOG clinical trials from 1999-2011. We identified baseline diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and coronary artery disease (CAD) by linking trial records to Medicare claims; obesity was identified using clinical records. The outcomes were emergency room visits (ER), hospitalizations and costs. Multivariable logistic and linear regression were used. Results: Among the 708 patients included in the analysis, 160 (22.6%) experienced 234 separate hospitalizations, and 193 (27.3%) experienced 311 separate ER visits. Diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and CAD were all associated with increased risk of hospitalizations and ER visit. Hypertension had the strongest association, with more than a threefold risk of hospitalization for those with hypertension compared to those without (OR [95% CI], 3.16 [1.85-5.40], p<0.001). For those with ≥3 CVD-RFs, the risk of hospitalization was greater compared to 0 or 1 CVD-RFs (OR [95% CI], 2.74 [1.71-4.38], p<0.001). Similar results were seen for ER visits. In the first 12 months after trial registration, patients with diabetes ($38,324 vs $30,923, 23.9% increase, p=0.05), hypercholesterolemia ($34,168 vs $30,661, 11.4% increase, p=0.02), and CAD ($37,781 vs $31,698, 19.2% increase, p=0.04) had statistically significantly higher total healthcare costs. Additionally, those with 2 significant CVD-RFs ($35,353 vs. $28,899, 22.3% increase, p=.005) had higher total healthcare costs. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that the presence of both CVD-RFs and ER visits and hospitalizations are frequent among elderly BC patients. The risk of ER visits and hospitalizations is higher among patients with CVD-RFs, and increases with the number of RFs. Better management of CVD-RFs and more aggressive symptom management may be required to reduce both physical and financial toxicities to elderly patients undergoing BC therapy.

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The impact of a breast cancer diagnosis on women’s work status.

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2018.36.7_suppl.23 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 36 (7_suppl) ◽

pp. 23-23

Author(s):

Lucinda Barry ◽

Leanne Storer ◽

Meron Pitcher

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Cancer Diagnosis ◽

Financial Stress ◽

Breast Cancer Diagnosis ◽

Work Status ◽

Paid Employment ◽

The Mean ◽

Woman's Work ◽

One Year ◽

The Impact

23 Background: The diagnosis and treatment of cancer often causes financial stress, partly by impacting on the ability to continue in paid employment. Our aim was to identify changes in work status 12 months after a diagnosis of breast cancer. Methods: An audit of the medical records of women who presented to the Western Health (Victoria, Australia) nurse led breast cancer Survivorship Clinic (SC) between October 2015 and October 2016 was performed to identify employment status at diagnosis and at their review at SC 12 months later. Results: 111 records were reviewed. The mean age was 55 (range 28-82yrs). 84 of these women (76%) were 65 years of younger at the time of diagnosis. 46 of the 84 women ≤65 years were in paid employment at diagnosis (55%), and 38 (83%) were still working in some capacity at review in the SC. Of the 38 still working, 28 were working in the same capacity, 8 were working reduced hours, and 2 were working increased hours. Women who had axillary dissections were most likely to have changed work status. Financial stress was reported by 8/19 of women who stopped working or had changed work hours, including 9 no longer in paid employment and 10 with changed hours. 2/28 women working in the same capacity reported financial stress. 65% of those who reported financial stress (11/17) had chemotherapy as part of their treatment. Conclusions: A breast cancer diagnosis has the ability to influence a woman's work status one year after diagnosis. Health professionals should appreciate the potential work concerns and financial stresses continuing to affect their patients.

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