Article Commentary: A Research Agenda for Appearance Changes Due to Breast Cancer Treatment

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent forms of cancer in the US. It is estimated that more than 180,000 American women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2008. Fortunately, the survival rate is relatively high and continually increasing due to improved detection techniques and treatment methods. However, maintaining quality of life is a factor often under emphasized for breast cancer survivors. Breast cancer treatments are invasive and can lead to deformation of the breast. Breast reconstruction is important for restoring the survivor's appearance. However, more work is needed to develop technologies for quantifying surgical outcomes and understanding women's perceptions of changes in their appearance. A method for objectively measuring breast anatomy is needed in order to help both the breast cancer survivors and their surgeons take expected changes to the survivor's appearance into account when considering various treatment options. In the future, augmented reality tools could help surgeons reconstruct a survivor's breasts to match her preferences as much as possible.

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The psychosocial determinants of quality of life in breast cancer survivors: a scoping review

BMC Cancer ◽

10.1186/s12885-020-07389-w ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Michael G. Culbertson ◽

Kathleen Bennett ◽

Catherine M. Kelly ◽

Linda Sharp ◽

Caitriona Cahir

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Quality Of Life ◽

Social Support ◽

Cancer Survivors ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Breast Cancer Survivors ◽

Psychosocial Determinants ◽

Psychosocial Determinant ◽

The Us

Abstract Background Breast cancer care today involves state-of-the-art biomedical treatment but can fail to address the broader psychosocial and quality-of-life (QoL) issues associated with the transition to breast cancer survivorship. This scoping review examines the evidence on the influence of psychosocial determinants on QoL in breast cancer survivors. Methods Scoping review methodology was used to: (1) identify the research question(s); (2) identify relevant studies; (3) undertake study selection; (4) extract data; (5) collate, summarise and report the results. Results A total of 33 studies met the inclusion criteria. The majority of studies were conducted in the US (n = 22, 67%) and were mainly cross-sectional (n = 26, 79%). Sixteen psychosocial determinants of QoL were identified. Social support (n = 14, 42%), depression (n = 7, 21%) and future appraisal and perspective (n = 7, 21%) were the most frequently investigated determinants. Twelve different QoL measures were used. A range of different measurement tools were also used per psychosocial determinant (weighted average = 6). The 14 studies that measured the influence of social support on QoL employed 10 different measures of social support and 7 different measures of QoL. In general, across all 33 studies, a higher level of a positive influence and a lower level of a negative influence of a psychosocial determinant was associated with a better QoL e.g. higher social support and lower levels of depression were associated with a higher/better QoL. For some determinants such as spirituality and coping skills the influence on QoL varied, but these determinants were less commonly investigated. Conclusion Consensus around measures of QoL and psychological determinants would be valuable and would enable research to determine the influence of psychosocial determinants on QoL adequately. Research in other healthcare settings beyond the US is required, in order to understand the influence of organisation and follow-up clinical and supportive care on psychosocial determinants and QoL and to improve the quality of care in breast cancer survivors.

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Survivourship Issues As Determinants of Quality of Life After Breast Cancer Treatment: Report From a Limited Resource Setting

Journal of Global Oncology ◽

10.1200/jgo.18.15700 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement 2) ◽

pp. 100s-100s

Author(s):

N. Kaur ◽

A. Gupta ◽

A.K. Sharma

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Quality Of Life ◽

Supportive Care ◽

Cancer Survivors ◽

Emotional Distress ◽

Joint Pain ◽

Breast Cancer Survivors ◽

Breast Cancer Treatment

Background: Cancer survivorship is an unremitting struggle for breast cancer patients, as the consequence of complex treatment processes and its multitude of residual and late emerging side effects, have a significant impact on their quality of life (QOL). Unique issues of survivorship include those related to physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being of women. Amid a growing population of breast cancer survivors (BCs) worldwide, supportive care research is assuming greater importance in breast cancer care. Focus of survivorship research is to identify issues impacting QOL of the cancer survivors so that supportive care services can be tailored to their specific needs. Role of individual survivor's issues have been widely reported but a comprehensive picture is lacking. Aim: This study was conducted with the aim to identify important survivorship issues adversely affecting QOL of women after breast cancer treatment. Main objectives were to (1) estimate prevalence of various survivorship issues (2) assess QOL of survivors by using FACT-B and SF-36 questionnaires (3) study impact of time elapsed since treatment on survivorship issues and QOL scores (4) identify most important issues from the perspective of impact on QOL. Methods: This descriptive, hospital based, cross sectional study was conducted in 230 breast cancer survivors and a group of 112 healthy age-matched-controls, in an academic healthcare setting in northern India. A checklist of 14 commonly reported survivorship issues, and questionnaires for QOL assessment were administered to participants. Main outcome measures were (1) frequencies of survivorship issues and QOL scores among three groups divided on the basis of time elapsed since treatment (< 2 year follow-up, 2-5 year follow-up and > 5 year follow-up) (2) association of survivorship issues with QOL scores (3) stepwise regression analysis to identify issues with most significant impact on QOL of survivors. Results: Breast cancer survivors showed an improvement in their QOL over time which was sustained in long term survivors. However their quality of life remains poorer, compared with healthy women, irrespective of the duration of follow-up. The most prevalent survivorship issues were fatigue (60%), restriction of shoulder movement (59.6%), body and joint pain (63.5%), chemotherapy induced cessation of menstruation (73.3%) and loss of sexual desire (60%). However the issues which had maximum adverse effect on QOL scores were emotional distress, fatigue, postmastectomy chronic pain, cessation of menstruation, body and joint pain, vaginal dryness and sleep disturbances. Conclusion: Thus in this study, emotional distress and cancer related fatigue were found to be the chief determinants of poor QOL. Further premature menopause, with its attendant systemic symptoms, vulvo-vaginal atrophy and sexual dysfunction emerged as a key contributor to poor QOL in BCs.

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Short Communication...Therapeutic Values of Yoga and Qigong – Are These Exercises Suitable for Breast Cancer Survivors?

Asian Journal of Physical Education & Recreation ◽

10.24112/ajper.201835 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

pp. 58-60

Author(s):

Shirley S.M. FONG ◽

Shamay S.M. NG ◽

W. S. LUK ◽

Ada W.W. MA

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Cancer Survivors ◽

Breast Cancer Survivors ◽

Well Being ◽

Breast Cancer Patients ◽

Cancer Treatments ◽

Shoulder Dysfunction ◽

Health And Well Being

Breast cancer is one of the most common malignant diseases in women. The mortality rate of breast cancer patients is rather low and the survival rate continues to increase worldwide (Siegel, Naishadham, & Jernal, 2012). However, conventional breast cancer treatments (e.g., mastectomy and radiotherapy) often lead to long-term physical impairments such as lymphedema and shoulder dysfunction (Cheville & Tchou, 2007). These side-effects may diminish the psychological well-being and quality of life of breast cancer survivors (Fong et al., 2013a). Promoting the health and well-being of this growing population has, therefore, become a major concern for healthcare professionals. (Abstract taken from first paragraph of document)

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Association of Health-Related Quality of Life with Breast Cancer Survival among Hispanic Population Using 10 Years of MEPS National Sample Cohort Data

Clinical Oncology and Research ◽

10.31487/j.cor.2020.08.08 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Jongwha Chang ◽

Marie Angayen ◽

Jihaeng Heo ◽

Susana Lopez ◽

Jongwha Chang

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Cancer Survivors ◽

Breast Cancer Survivors ◽

Cancer Survival ◽

Breast Cancer Survival ◽

Hispanic Population ◽

The Us ◽

Related Quality ◽

Health Related

Background: Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the United States and it is the leading cause of death among the Hispanic population. Little evidence exists the association of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) by the presence of breast cancer survival among the Latina population. This study was to look at the association of the presence of breast cancer survival on HRQoL measure in the US Hispanic population. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study analyzing data from the 2006-2015 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). The target population was comprised of Hispanic community-dwelling residents with breast cancer in the US. Two multivariate regression models were used to predict HRQoL measure by the presence of breast cancer survival among the Hispanic population. Results: A total 207 breast cancer survivors met the study inclusion criteria, and the estimated population size was 1.200,337 breast cancer survivors. In the multiple regression analysis on the SF-12 PCS scores, age, census region, poverty level, perceived health status, BMI, and employment were associated with SF12 PCS scores. The multiple regression analysis on the SF-12 MCS scores presented that age, census region, insurance type, perceived mental health status, and CCI were associated with SF-12 MCS scores. Conclusion: This study presents data on the HRQoL of Hispanic breast cancer survivors in the U.S. It builds on previous research that examines the HRQoL as expressed through the SF-12 PCS and SF-12 MCS surveys, rather than other types of measurement. This study may also be used as a guide in the implementation of clinical interventions and plans for survivorship care in improving the HRQoL of Hispanic breast cancer survivors.

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