Abstract
Background
Quality of life in patients with breast cancer is an important outcome. This paper presents an extensive overview on the topic ranging from descriptive findings to clinical trials.
Methods
This was a bibliographic review of the literature covering all full publications that appeared in English language biomedical journals between 1974 and 2007. The search strategy included a combination of key words 'quality of life' and 'breast cancer' or 'breast carcinoma' in titles. A total of 971 citations were identified and after exclusion of duplicates, the abstracts of 606 citations were reviewed. Of these, meetings abstracts, editorials, brief commentaries, letters, errata and dissertation abstracts and papers that appeared online and were indexed ahead of publication were also excluded. The remaining 477 papers were examined. The major findings are summarized and presented under several headings: instruments used, validation studies, measurement issues, surgical treatment, systemic therapies, quality of life as predictor of survival, psychological distress, supportive care, symptoms and sexual functioning.
Results
Instruments-Several valid instruments were used to measure quality of life in breast cancer patients. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and its breast cancer specific complementary measure (EORTC QLQ-BR23) and the Functional Assessment Chronic Illness Therapy General questionnaire (FACIT-G) and its breast cancer module (FACIT-B) were found to be the most common and well developed instruments to measure quality of life in breast cancer patients. Surgery-different surgical procedures led to relatively similar results in terms of quality of life assessments, although mastectomy patients compared to conserving surgery patients usually reported a lower body image and sexual functioning. Systemic therapies-almost all studies indicated that breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy might experience several side-effects and symptoms that negatively affect their quality of life. Adjuvant hormonal therapies also were found to have similar negative impact on quality of life, although in general they were associated with improved survival. Quality of life as predictor of survival-similar to known medical factors, quality of life data in metastatic breast cancer patients was found to be prognostic and predictive of survival time. Psychological distress-anxiety and depression were found to be common among breast cancer patients even years after the disease diagnosis and treatment. Psychological factors also were found to predict subsequent quality of life or even overall survival in breast cancer patients. Supportive care-clinical treatments to control emesis, or interventions such as counseling, providing social support and exercise could improve quality of life. Symptoms-Pain, fatigue, arm morbidity and postmenopausal symptoms were among the most common symptoms reported by breast cancer patients. As recommended, recognition and management of these symptoms is an important issue since such symptoms impair health-related quality of life. Sexual functioning-breast cancer patients especially younger patients suffer from poor sexual functioning that negatively affect quality of life.
Conclusion
There was quite an extensive body of the literature on quality of life in breast cancer patients. These papers have made a considerable contribution to improving breast cancer care, although their exact benefit was hard to define. However, quality of life data provided scientific evidence for clinical decision-making and conveyed helpful information concerning breast cancer patients' experiences during the course of the disease diagnosis, treatment, disease-free survival time, and recurrences; otherwise finding patient-centered solutions for evidence-based selection of optimal treatments, psychosocial interventions, patient-physician communications, allocation of resources, and indicating research priorities were impossible. It seems that more qualitative research is needed for a better understanding of the topic. In addition, issues related to the disease, its treatment side effects and symptoms, and sexual functioning should receive more attention when studying quality of life in breast cancer patients.
Similar content being viewed by others
Background
Health-related quality of life is now considered an important endpoint in cancer clinical trials. It has been shown that assessing quality of life in cancer patients could contribute to improved treatment and could even be as prognostic as medical factors could be prognostic [1–4]. Above all, studies of quality of life can further indicate the directions needed for more efficient treatment of cancer patients. Among the quality of life studies in cancer patients, breast cancer has received most attention for several reasons. First, the number of women with breast cancer is increasing. It has been reported that each year over 1.1 million women worldwide are diagnosed with breast cancer and 410,000 die from the disease [5]. Secondly, early detection and treatment of breast cancer have improved and survivors now live longer, so studying quality of life in this context is important. Thirdly, breast cancer affects women's identities and therefore studying quality of life for those who lose their breasts is vital. In addition, it is believed that females play important roles as partners, wives, and mothers within any family. Thus, when a woman develops breast cancer, all members of family might develop some sort of illnesses. In fact, breast cancer is a family disease. Other reasons could be added, but overall it is crucial to recognize that with increasing improvements in medicine and medical practice during recent years studying quality of life for any cancer, for any anatomical site and for either gender is considered highly relevant. A descriptive study of the published papers (230 articles) on non-biomedical outcomes (quality of life, preferences, satisfaction and economics) in breast cancer patients, covering the literature from 1990 to 2000, found that the most frequently reported outcomes were health-related quality of life (54%), followed by economic analyses (38%), and patient satisfaction (14%). Only 9% measured patient preferences [6].
Over the past 10 years, much clinical effort has been expended in the treatment of breast cancer in order to improve survival. Now the question is: to what extent have studies of quality of life in breast cancer patients added to our information or contributed to improved outcomes in breast cancer care? This is very difficult to answer, but it is possible to try to investigate the contribution of quality of life studies to breast cancer care as a whole. There are several useful review papers on quality of life in breast cancer patients. However, most published papers have either been overviews or systematic literature searches with very focused objectives. The aim of this review is to collect and examine all literature published since the topic first appeared in English language biomedical journals. It is hoped that this extensive review may contribute to existing knowledge, help both researchers and clinicians to have a better profile on the topic, and consequently aid in improving quality of life in breast cancer patients.
Methods
As part of a study on quality of life in breast cancer patients, an extensive literature search was carried out using MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Science Citation Index (ISI), the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), the PsycINFO, the Allied and Complementary Medicine (AMED), and Global Health databases. The intention was to review all full publications that have been appeared in English language biomedical journals between 1974 and 2007. The year 1974 was chosen because the first study on quality of life in breast cancer patients was published then. The search strategy included the combination of key words 'quality of life' and 'breast cancer' or 'breast carcinoma' in titles of publications. It was though that this might help to focus the investigation. It provided the initial database for the review. The initial search was carried out in early 2006 and updated twice in 2006, twice at the end of January and December 2007, and once for a final check in April 2008.
Results
Statistics
A total of 971 citations were identified and after exclusion of duplicates, the abstracts of 606 citations were reviewed. Of these, meetings abstracts, editorials, brief commentaries, letters, errata and dissertation abstracts and papers that appeared online and were indexed ahead of publication were also excluded. The remaining 477 papers were examined in this bibliographic review. The statistics are shown in Table 1 and a chronological list of all papers is available [Additional file 1]. Here, the major findings are summarized and presented under the following headings.
Reviews
There were several review papers. These were divided into two categories: overviews [7–26], and systematic reviews [27–35]. Whilst there were quite significant numbers of commentaries, some brief, a few systematic reviews with focused objectives were also identified. These are summarized in Tables 2 and 3. Both overviews and systematic reviews touched interesting topics pointed to helpful comments and findings among published papers. For instance, a paper by Rozenberg et al. [26] highlighted that most women affected by breast cancer will not die from it but from other diseases, owing to recent improvements in treatment. They also pointed out that women with breast cancer and three or more co-morbid conditions have a 20-fold higher rate of mortality from causes other than breast cancer and a 4-fold higher rate of all-cause mortality when compared with patients who have none.
Health-related quality of life in patients undergoing systemic therapy for advanced breast cancer was reviewed by Bottomley and Therasse, covering the literature from 1995 to 2001. They indicated that there were 19 studies. Among these, there were 12 studies on chemotherapy, 6 hormonal trials and 1 on biological therapy (Trastuzumab). They concluded that quality of life data provided invaluable insights into the treatment and care of patients [28].
To help the selection of optimal treatment, Goodwin et al. conducted a review of measurements of health-related quality of life in randomized clinical trials in breast cancer patients, covering the literature from 1980 to 2000. They identified a total of 256 randomized trials in breast cancer that included health-related quality of life or psychosocial outcomes. Of these, 66 trials involved randomized of different treatment options, 46 evaluated biomedical interventions and 20 evaluated psychosocial interventions. They concluded that until the results of ongoing trials are available, caution is recommended in initiating new quality of life studies unless treatment equivalence is expected or unless unique or specific issues can be addressed [30]. Similarly, Fossati's critical review of published literature on randomized clinical trials of cytotoxic or hormonal treatments of advanced breast cancer indicated that quality of life assessments added relatively little value to classical clinical endpoints [33].
Mols et al. reviewed the literature on quality of life among long-term survivors of breast cancer and found that although these patients experienced some specific problems such as a thick and painful arm and problems with sexual functioning, most reported good overall quality of life. The review also indicated that the current medical condition, amount of social support and current income level were strong positive predictors of quality of life, and the use of adjuvant chemotherapy emerged as a negative predictor. The authors concluded that focusing on the long-term effects of breast cancer is important when evaluating the full extent of treatment [34].
Grimison and Stockler reviewed quality of life in early-stage breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant systemic therapy, review of clinical randomized trials covering the literature from 1996 to 2007, and concluded that the long-term effects of chemotherapy-induced menopause and hormonal therapy on quality of life were poorly recognized. They found that vasomotor symptoms and altered sexual function were common, distressing and inadequately treated [35].
Two historical papers
The first paper on quality of life in breast cancer patients was published in 1974. In this historical paper advanced breast cancer patients receiving adrenalectomy with chemotherapy were assessed for objective and subjective response rates, survival and quality of life. The results showed that in 64% of the patients the subjective palliation involved a return to essentially normal living during the period of improvement [36]. The second historical paper on the topic was appeared two years later, in 1976; Priestman and Baum used a linear analogue self-assessment (LASA) to measure the subjective effects of treatment in women with advanced breast cancer [37]. The results showed that this technique might be used to monitor the subjective benefit of treatment and to compare the subjective toxicities of different therapeutic regimens. The results also suggested that the subjective toxicity of cytotoxic therapy was not related to the patient's age and diminished with successive courses of drugs. However, not until the late 1980s and early 1990s was the literature gradually supplemented with papers using relatively standard and established instruments to measure quality of life in breast cancer patients.
Instruments used
Broadly, quality of life measures can be classified as: general, disease specific, and site-specific. Although the early studies did not use standard measures, several valid instruments for measuring quality of life in breast cancer patients have been developed in recent years. The most commonly-used instruments were: the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire and its Breast Cancer supplement (EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23); the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy General Questionnaire and its Breast Cancer Supplement (FACIT-G and FACIT-B formerly FACT questionnaires); the Breast Cancer Chemotherapy Questionnaire (BCQ); the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS); and the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Survey (SF-36). Table 4 lists a number of most important instruments used in studies of quality of life in breast cancer patients. Almost all these instruments proved to be valid and were found to be very popular among researchers and clinicians.
Validation studies
Development of instruments for measuring quality of life in breast cancer patients, or cultural adaptation and validation studies of the existing instruments, was the major theme in a number of papers. These are presented in Table 5[38–59]. A paper by Levine et al. in 1988 was the first validation study in this field. It reported a quality of life measure in breast cancer patients called the Breast Cancer Chemotherapy Questionnaire (BCQ). This is a 30-item questionnaire that focuses on loss of attractiveness, fatigue, physical symptoms, inconvenience, emotional distress and feelings of hope and support from others [35]. A few studies reported translation and validation findings for the instruments used to assess quality of life among breast cancer patients in different cultures (for example see [48, 54, 56]).
Measurement issues
Papers that dealt with issues of quality of life measurement in breast cancer patients encompassed a variety of topics, mainly focusing on methodological and practical concerns in such assessment, especially in clinical settings. Most authors have tried first to convince clinicians to assess quality of life, and secondly to show how quality of life data could contribute to care and management of breast cancer patients. Table 6 presents a summary of the results [60–84].
Surgical treatment
Breast cancer surgery including conservative surgery followed by irradiation, and modified radical mastectomy or radical mastectomy followed by immediate reconstruction is associated with different side-effects including pain, and fatigue and thus affecting quality of life in breast cancer patients. A list of studies on surgery and quality of life in breast cancer patients is given in Table 7[85–113]
The most important topic in studies of breast cancer surgery and quality of life relates to the type of surgery. Recent findings suggest that partial and total mastectomy appear to be equivalent treatments in terms of patients' long-term quality of life. However, both short-term and long-term distress levels after partial and total mastectomy may depend on patient's age at diagnosis [93]. A study of early breast cancer patients one year after mastectomy or conservative surgery and radiation therapy found that the differences between treatment groups were mainly accounted for by adjuvant therapies. Those treated by breast conservation reported better body image but worse physical functions. The negative impact of breast cancer and its treatment was greater for younger women across a number of dimensions of quality of life measures regardless of treatment type [100].
In addition, one study found that aspects of quality of life other than body image were no better in women who underwent breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy with reconstruction than in women who had mastectomy alone. Furthermore, mastectomy with reconstruction was associated with greater mood disturbance and poorer health [101]. However, the results of a 5-year prospective study on quality of life following breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy indicated that mastectomy patients had a significantly worse body image; role and sexual functioning, and their lives were more disrupted [105]. A recent Japanese study on the early effects of surgery in patients with breast cancer performing multivariate analysis reported that there were no significant differences in quality of life before and after surgery, but quality of life was significantly better among women undergoing breast conservation than those undergoing mastectomy [111]. A study comparing the short- and long-term effects of mastectomy with reconstruction, mastectomy without reconstruction, and breast conservation therapy on aspects of psychosocial adjustment and quality of life in a sample of 258 women with breast cancer concluded that overall, the general patterns of psychosocial adjustment and quality of life were similar among the three surgery groups. In addition the study results showed that during the long-term follow-up period (6 months to 2 years after surgery), women in all three groups experienced marked improvements in psychosocial adjustment (depressive symptoms, satisfaction with chest appearance, sexual functioning) and quality of life in physical and mental health domains [113].
Systemic therapies
In order to reduce the risk of recurrence and death, breast cancer patients usually receive systemic therapies (chemotherapy, hormonal therapy and biological treatments) after surgery. Several studies evaluated quality of life in breast cancer patients receiving systemic therapies. A list of studies reporting on the topic is given in Table 8[36, 37, 114–169].
Chemotherapy has considerable effect on quality of life of breast cancer patients. In a study of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy in primary node positive breast cancer patients (one or more axillary node), women receiving a single agent or a multi-drug regimen indicated that the treatment was 'unbearable' [114] or in a study of patients with early breast cancer receiving preoperative chemotherapy almost all patients considered chemotherapy the most 'burdensome' aspect of the treatment [116].
The side-effects of chemotherapy on quality of life in breast cancer patients were the topic of many investigations. In these studies, investigators looked at the issue from different perspectives. For instance, using a decision-analytic approach to evaluate tradeoffs between efficacy and quality of life in the choice of three adjuvant treatments (chemotherapy, surgical ovarian suppression, and medical ovarian suppression) in pre-menopausal women with newly-diagnosed, hormone-responsive early breast cancer, Elkin et al. concluded that when different treatments have similar efficacy, there may be a subgroup of women for whom quality of life considerations dominate the choice. However, they stated that small differences in the relative efficacy of these therapies have a substantial impact on treatment choice [156].
To improve clinical outcomes an international randomized controlled trial compared dose-intensive chemotherapy with standard systemic chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced breast cancer and showed that a dose-intensive regimen only has a temporary effect on health-related quality of life, thus enabling more research on intensive treatment for patients with locally advanced breast cancer, as it might also offer a survival benefit [158].
However, recent studies focusing on adjuvant hormonal therapies (tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors such as anastrozole, letrozole, exemestane) and quality of life in postmenopausal early-stage breast cancer patients reported more encouraging results. Most studies found that overall quality of life was improved in patients receiving either anstrozole or tamoxifen but patients reported different side effects [151, 166]. A trial comparing tamoxifen with exemestane showed that quality of life did not change significantly in either groups, but there were improvements in endocrine-related symptoms [164].
In summary, as noted by Grimison and Stockler, for the majority of breast cancer patients most aspects of health-related quality of life recover after adjuvant chemotherapy ends without long-term effects except vasomotor symptoms and sexual dysfunction. However, tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors cause long-term effects due to vasomotor, gynecological and sexual problems [35].
Quality of life as predictor of survival
Until recently, only a few studies had reported a relationship between quality of life and survival in breast cancer patients [115]. A study using the Daily Diary Card to measure quality of life in advanced breast cancer showed that the instrument offered accurate prognostic data regarding subsequent response to treatment and survival duration [170]. Similarly, Seidman et al. evaluated quality of life in two phase II clinical trials of metastatic breast cancer and found that baseline scores of two validated quality of life instruments independently predicted the overall likelihood of tumour responses [171].
Studies have shown that baseline quality of life predicts survival in advanced breast cancer but not in early stage of disease [172]. Two recently published papers also confirmed that baseline quality of life is not a prognostic factor in non-metastatic breast cancer patients. One of these two studies, using Cox survival analysis, indicated that neither health-related quality of life nor psychological status at diagnosis or 1 year later was associated with medical outcome in women with early-stage breast cancer [173]. The other study with a sample of 448 locally advanced breast cancer patients, reported that baseline health-related quality of life parameters had no prognostic value in a non-metastatic breast cancer population [174]. However, other studies have demonstrated that some aspects of quality of life data including physical health [175], pain [139, 176], and loss of appetite [177] were significant prognostic factors for survival in women with advanced breast cancer. In addition, one study demonstrated that baseline physical aspects of quality of life and its changes were related to survival, but psychological and social aspects were not [178].
Psychological distress
Women with breast cancer might develop psychological distress including anxiety and depression during diagnosis and treatment and after treatment. The psychological impact of breast cancer has received considerable attention. Since this is a separate topic, the focus here is on psychological distress as it relates to quality of life studies in breast cancer patients. Table 9 summarizes the papers on the topic [179–210].
Psychological distress in breast cancer patients is mostly related to depression, anxiety, and low emotional functioning and almost all studies have shown that psychological distress contributed to impaired quality of life especially emotional functioning, social functioning, mental health and overall quality of life. The diagnosis of the disease, importance of fears and concerns regarding death and disease recurrence, impairment of body image, and alteration of femininity, sexuality and attractiveness are factors that can cause unexpected psychological distress even years after diagnosis and treatment [211–213].
Studies have shown that psychological factors predict subsequent quality of life [200] or even overall survival in breast cancer patients [214]. A study showed that patients with lower coping capacity reported higher prevalence of symptoms, experienced higher levels of distress, and experienced worse perceived health, which in turn decreased their quality of life [215]. Furthermore, it has been shown that psychological adjustment such as the ability to cope with the disease, treatment and effects of treatment could improve outcome. The relationship between positive thinking and longer survival and a better quality of life is well documented [216].
Supportive care
A variety of topics were covered to address supportive care issues in breast cancer patients. These ranged from papers on controlling emesis to papers that reported issues related to counseling, social support and exercise to improve quality of life [217–253]. The results are summarized in Table 10.
Symptoms
There were studies on breast cancer symptoms and their relationship to quality of life. Most of these studies were related to fatigue, lymphedema, pain, and menopausal symptoms. The results are summarized in Table 11[254–280].
Fatigue is the least definable symptom experienced by patients with breast cancer and its effect on impaired quality of life cannot be explained precisely. A recent publication studying 1,588 breast cancer patients showed that fatigue (as measured by the EORTC QLQ-C30 fatigue subscale) independently predicted longer recurrence-free survival when biological factors were controlled in the analysis. When combined with the biological model, fatigue still remained a significant predictor of recurrence-free survival [214].
Sexual functioning
Breast cancer could be regarded as a disease that relates to women's identities. In this respect, sexual functioning is an important issue, especially in younger breast cancer patients. Among quality of life studies in breast cancer patients only six papers focused especially on sexual functioning [281–286]. The findings indicated that disrupted sexual functioning or unsatisfactory sexual life was related to poorer quality of life at younger age, treatment with chemotherapy, total mastectomy, emotional distress consequent on an unsatisfactory sexual life, and difficulties with partners because of sexual relationships.
Discussion
This bibliographic review has provided an extensive list of studies that focused on quality of life in breast cancer patients. The article might be criticized on the grounds that it included every paper on the topic and that it provides more enumeration than insight. However, this was not an in-depth review but rather, as indicated in the title, a bibliographic investigation and descriptive in nature. The benefit of such an approach is that it reveals how much effort has been made in this area and shows the achievements of a journey that was started more than 30 years ago. If quality of life has now become an important part of breast cancer patients' care, it is due to all these efforts. Furthermore, this approach might help potential investigators to formulate new questions or conduct more focused studies on the topic in the future. It should be admitted that investigations of this type have limitations and are inconclusive. Since in this review the search strategy was limited to the key words 'quality of life' and 'breast cancer' in titles, perhaps many other papers also were missed even from enumeration. However, an up coming complementary review by the author will focus on these missing papers.
A number of studies that covered measurement issues and introduced instruments used to measure quality of life in breast cancer patients. Hopefully there is now sufficient evidence to use these valid instruments and to adopt the practices that are needed to assess quality of life in research or clinical settings. Since 1974, when the first study on quality of life in breast cancer patients was published, there has been quite impressive progress and improvement, indicating that measuring quality of life in breast cancer patients is both crucial and scientific. Now several valid instruments that capture quality of life dimensions in cancer patients in general and in breast cancer patients in particular are available. The EORTC QLQ-C30, EORTC QLQ-BR23, FACIT-G and FACIT-B are among the most acceptable instruments to patients and health professionals. They have been used in many studies, so it is possible to compare results between studies with similar objectives. It seems that it is time to stop developing new instruments, since there are enough valid and comprehensive measures to assess quality of life in breast cancer patients. New instruments might cause confusion and may be regarded as a waste of resources, so any such developments would need robust justification. Depending on the objectives of any single study, one might use other existing valid measures such as the Satisfaction with Life Domains Scale for Breast Cancer (SLDS-BC), which can briefly and rapidly assess quality of life across the breast cancer continuum of care [287]; the Body Image After Breast Cancer Questionnaire (BIBCQ); which is a valid measure for assessing the long-term impact of breast cancer on body image [288]; and the Fallowfield's Sexual Activity Questionnaire (FSAQ), which is a useful tool for measuring sexual activity in women with cancer [289].
There were some important technical issues that should be addressed. Some believe that if we perform complex analyses of quality of life data or if we use several instruments in a single study then we might achieve more scientific results. There is evidence that this could merely lead to misleading findings and might be a source of suffering for the patients [84]. The recommendation is to analyze data in a simple way and avoid complexity. The presentation of data should be straightforward and easy to follow; otherwise those who are critical of such findings might conclude that these are manipulations of data, or they might ask whether these numbers and statistics reflect what really happens to breast cancer patients or the clinical teams that care for them. Do these figures convey difficulties that exist in treating breast cancer patients or help to manage their symptoms?
The present review covered several topics and provided tables to indicate areas that need more attention. It appears that the most common and important disease- and treatment-related side-effects and symptoms in breast cancer patients including arm morbidity, pain, fatigue and postmenopausal symptoms, are among neglected topics. As noted by Cella and Fallowfield, recognition and management of treatment-related side-effects for breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant endocrine therapy is an important issue since such side-effects negatively affect health-related quality of life and adherences to therapy. These authors argue that adverse events constitute the main reason for non-adherence to endocrine treatment, and across all adjuvant endocrine trials regardless of the treatment, vasomotor symptoms such as hot flushes are the most common side effects. Other frequently reported side-effects such as vaginal discharge, vaginal dryness, dyspareunia, and arthralgia vary in prevalence between tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors [290]. It has been recommended that currently in assessing quality of life in breast cancer patients priorities should be given to cognitive functioning, menopausal symptoms, body image and long-term effects of new therapies that might cause musculoskeletal and neurological side-effects [35]. In addition, sexual functioning seems important area that needs more attention, especially for younger breast cancer survivors. It is argued that younger survivors may need interventions that specifically target their needs related to menopausal symptoms and problems with relationships, sexual functioning and body image [291].
There were few qualitative studies. Since these could provide more insight into quality of life in breast cancer patients, we need more such studies to collect data and indicate how breast cancer patients interpret life after diagnosis and during and after treatment. Breast cancer survivors even might rate their quality of life more favorably than outpatients with other common medical conditions and identify many positive aspects from the cancer experience [180]. However, it is not only the study of quality of life in newly diagnosed breast cancer patients that is necessary; studying quality of life in long-term survivors is equally important. As suggested, when assessing quality of life in breast cancer patients, the stage of disease should also be considered. There are differences in quality of life between patients with non-invasive breast cancer, newly diagnosed breast cancer and advanced local breast cancer, and disease-free breast cancer survivors, women with recurrence breast cancer, and women with advanced metastatic breast cancer [292].
Conclusion
There was quite an extensive body of the literature on quality of life in breast cancer patients. These papers have made a considerable contribution to improving breast cancer care, although their exact benefit was hard to define. However, quality of life data provided scientific evidence for clinical decision-making and conveyed helpful information concerning breast cancer patients' experiences during the course of the disease diagnosis, treatment, disease-free survival time, and recurrences; otherwise finding patient-centered solutions for evidence-based selection of optimal treatments, psychosocial interventions, patient-physician communications, allocation of resources, and indicating research priorities were impossible. It seems that more qualitative research is needed for a better understanding of the topic. In addition, issues related to the disease, its treatment side effects and symptoms, and sexual functioning should receive more attention when studying quality of life in breast cancer patients.
References
Montazeri A, Gillis CR, McEwen J: Measuring quality of life in oncology: is it worthwhile? Part I. Meaning, purposes, and controversies. Eur J Cancer Care. 1996, 5: 159-167. 10.1111/j.1365-2354.1996.tb00228.x.
Montazeri A, Gillis CR, McEwen J: Measuring quality of life in oncology: is it worthwhile? Part II. Experiences from the treatment of cancer. Eur J Cancer Care. 1996, 5: 168-175. 10.1111/j.1365-2354.1996.tb00229.x.
Montazeri A, Milroy R, Hole D, McEwen J, Gillis CR: How quality of life data contribute to our understanding of cancer patients' experiences? A study of patients with lung cancer. Quality of Life Research. 2003, 12: 157-166. 10.1023/A:1022232624891.
Montazeri A, Milroy R, Hole D, McEwen J, Gillis CR: Quality of life in patients with lung cancer: as an important prognostic factor. Lung Cancer. 2001, 31: 233-240. 10.1016/S0169-5002(00)00179-3.
Stewart BW, Paul Kleihues P: World Cancer Report. 2003, Lyon, France, International Agency Research on Cancer
Mandelblatt J, Armetta C, Yabroff KR, Liang W, Lawreence W: Descriptive review of the literature on breast cancer outcomes: 1990 through 2000. J Natl Cancer Inst Monographs. 2004, 33: 8-44. 10.1093/jncimonographs/lgh003.
McEvoy MD, McCorkle R: Quality of life issues in patients with disseminated breast cancer. Cancer. 1990, 66: 1416-1421. 10.1002/1097-0142(19900915)66:14+<1416::AID-CNCR2820661418>3.0.CO;2-D.
Kiebert GM, de Haes JC, Velde van de CJ: The impact of breast conserving treatment and mastectomy on the quality of life of early stage breast cancer patients: a review. J Clin Oncol. 1991, 9: 1059-1070.
Aaronson NK: Assessment of quality of life and benefits from adjuvant therapies in breast cancer. Recent Results Cancer Res. 1993, 127: 201-210.
Bryson HM, Plosker GL: Tamoxifen: a review of pharmacoeconomic and quality of life consideration for its use as adjuvant therapy in women with breast cancer. Pharmaeconomics. 1993, 4: 40-66. 10.2165/00019053-199304010-00006.
Stefanek ME: Quality of life and other psychological issues in breast cancer. Curr Opin Oncol. 1994, 6: 583-586. 10.1097/00001622-199411000-00009.
Ganz PA: Breast cancer in older women: quality of life considerations. Cancer Control. 1994, 1 (4): 372-379.
Osoba D, Zee B, Pater J, Warr D, Kaizer L, Latreille J: Psychometric properties and responsiveness of the EORTC quality of life questionnaire (QLQ-C30) in patients with breast, ovarian, and lung cancer. Qual Life Res. 1994, 3: 353-364. 10.1007/BF00451727.
Carlson RW: Quality of life issues in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Oncology (Williston Park). 1998, 12 (3 Suppl 4): 27-31.
Leedham B, Ganz PA: Psychological concerns and quality of life in breast cancer survivors. Cancer Invest. 1999, 17: 342-348.
Rustoen T, Begnum S: Quality of life in women with breast cancer-a review of the literature and implications for nursing practice. Cancer Nurs. 2000, 23: 416-421. 10.1097/00002820-200012000-00003.
Shapiro SL, Lopez AM, Schwartz GE, Bootzin R, Figueredo AJ, Braden C, Kurker SF: Quality of life and breast cancer: relationship to psychological variables. J Clin Psychol. 2001, 57: 501-509. 10.1002/jclp.1026.
Partridge AH, Bunnell CA, Winer EP: Quality of life issues among women undergoing high-dose chemotherapy for breast cancer. Breast Dis. 2001, 14: 41-50.
Kurtz JE, Dufour P: Strategies for improving quality of life in older patients with metastatic breast cancer. Drugs Aging. 2002, 19: 605-622. 10.2165/00002512-200219080-00006.
Costantino J: The impact of hormonal treatments on quality of life of patients with metastatic breast cancer. Clinical Ther. 2002, 24 (Suppl C): C26-C42. 10.1016/S0149-2918(02)85159-1.
Fallowfield LJ: Evolution of breast cancer treatment: current options and quality-of-life consideration. Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2004, 8 (Suppl 2): S75-82. 10.1016/j.ejon.2004.09.005.
Sammarco A: Enhancing the quality of life of survivors of breast cancer. Ann Long Term Care. 2004, 12: 40-45.
Knobf MT: The influence of endocrine effects of adjuvant therapy on quality of life outcomes in younger breast cancer survivors. Oncologist. 2006, 11: 96-110. 10.1634/theoncologist.11-2-96.
Kayl AE, Meyers CA: Side effects of chemotherapy and quality of life in overian and breast cancer patients. Current Opinion in Obstetric & Gynecology. 2006, 18: 24-28. 10.1097/01.gco.0000192996.20040.24.
Diel IJ: Effectiveness of bisphosphonates on bone pain and quality of life in breast cancer patients with metastatic bone disease: a review. Support Care Cancer. 2007, 15: 1243-1249. 10.1007/s00520-007-0244-9.
Rozenberg S, Antoine C, Carly B, Pastijn A, Liebens F: Improving quality of life after breast cancer: prevention of other diseases. Menopause Int. 2007, 13: 71-74. 10.1258/175404507780796398.
Irwig L, Bennetts A: Quality of life after breast conservation or mastectomy: a systematic review. Aust N Z J Surg. 1997, 67: 750-754. 10.1111/j.1445-2197.1997.tb04573.x.
Bottomley A, Therasse P: Quality of life in patients undergoing systematic therapy for advanced breast cancer. Lancet Oncol. 2002, 3: 620-628. 10.1016/S1470-2045(02)00876-8.
Shimozuma K, Okamoto T, Katsumata N, Koike M, Tanaka K, Osumi S, Saito M, Shikama N, Watanabe T, Mitsumori M, Yamauchi C, Hisashige A: Systematic overview of quality of life studies for breast cancer. Breast Cancer. 2002, 9: 196-202.
Goodwin PJ, Black JT, Bordeleau LJ, Ganz PA: Health-related quality-of-life measurement in randomized clinical trials in breast cancer. Taking stock. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2003, 95: 263-281.
Rietman JS, Dijkstra PU, Hoekstra HJ, Eisma WH, Szabo BG, Groothoff JW, Geertzen JH: Late morbidity after treatment of breast cancer in relation to daily activities and quality of life: a systematic review. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2003, 29: 229-238. 10.1053/ejso.2002.1403.
Payne R, Medina E, Hampton JW: Quality of life concerns in patients with breast cancer: evidence for disparity of outcomes and experiences in pain management and palliative care among African-American women. Cancer. 2003, 97 (Suppl 1): 311-317. 10.1002/cncr.11017.
Fossati R, Confalonieri C, Mosconi P, Pistotti V, Apolone G: Quality of life in randomized trials of cytoxic or hormonal treatment of advanced breast cancer. Is there added value?. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2004, 87: 233-243. 10.1007/s10549-004-8694-y.
Mols F, Vingerthoets AJ, Coebergh JW, Poll-Franse van de LV: Quality of life among long-term breast cancer survivors: a systematic review. Eur J Cancer. 2005, 41: 2613-2619. 10.1016/j.ejca.2005.05.017.
Grimison PS, Stockler M: Quality of life and adjuvant systemic therapy for breast cancer. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther. 2007, 7: 1123-1134. 10.1586/14737140.7.8.1123.
Moore FD, Vanter van de SB, Boyden CM, Lokich J, Wilson RE: Adrenalectomy with chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced breast cancer: objective and subjective response rates, duration and quality of life. Surgery. 1974, 76: 376-390.
Priestman TJ, Baum M: Evaluation of quality of life in patients receiving treatment for advanced breast cancer. Lancet. 1976, 1: 899-900. 10.1016/S0140-6736(76)92112-7.
Levine MN, Guyatt GH, Gent M, De Pauw S, Goodyear MD, Hryniuk WM, Arnold A, Findlay B, Skillings JR, Bramwell VH, et al: Quality of life in stage II breast cancer: an instrument for clinical trials. J Clin Oncol. 1988, 6: 1798-1810.
Ciampi A, Lockwood G, Sutherland HJ, Llewellyn-Thomas HA: Assessment of health related quality of life: factor scales for patients with breast cancer. J Psychsocial Oncol. 1988, 6: 1-19. 10.1300/J077v06n01_01.
Tamburini M, Brambilla C, Ferrari L, Bombino T, Gangeri L, Rosso S: Two simple indexes used to evaluate the impact of therapy on the quality of life of patients receiving primary chemotherapy for operable breast cancer. Ann Oncol. 1991, 2: 417-422.
Osoba D: Health-related quality of life as a treatment endpoint in metastatic breast cancer. Can J Oncol. 1995, 5 (Suppl 1): 47-53.
Carlsson M, Hamrin E: Measurement of quality of life in women with breast cancer. Development of a life satisfaction questionnaire (LSQ-32) and a comparison with the EORTC-C30. Qual Life Res. 1996, 5: 265-274. 10.1007/BF00434748.
Sprangers MAG, Groenvold M, Arraras JI, Franklin J, te Velde A, Muller M, Franzini L, Williams A, de Haes HC, Hopwood P, Cull A, Aaronson NK: The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer breast cancer-specific quality-of-life questionnaire module: first results from a three-country field study. J Clin Oncol. 1996, 14: 2756-2768.
Brady MJ, Cella DF, Mo F, Bonomi AE, Tulsky DS, Lloyd SR, Deasy S, Cobleigh M, Shiomoto G: Reliability and validity of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Breast Quality of Life instrument. J Clin Oncol. 1997, 15: 974-986.
de Haes JC, Olschewski M: Quality of life assessment in a cross cultural context: use of the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist in a multinational randomized trial comparing CMF and Zoladex (Goserlin) treatment in early breast cancer. Ann Oncol. 1998, 9: 745-750. 10.1023/A:1008282806910.
McLachlan SA, Devins GM, Goodwin PJ: Validation of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life questionnaire (QLQ-C30) as a measure of psychosocial function in breast cancer patients. Eur J Cancer. 1998, 34: 510-517. 10.1016/S0959-8049(97)10076-4.
Followfield LJ, Leaity SK, Howell A, Benson S, Cella D: Assessment of quality of life in women undergoing hormonal therapy for breast cancer: validation of an endocrine symptom subscale for the FACT-B. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 1999, 55: 189-199.
Montazeri A, Harirchi I, Vahdani M, Khaleghi F, Jarvandi S, Ebrahimi M, Haji-Mahmoodi M: The EORTC breast cancer-specific quality of life questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-BR23): translation and validation study of the Iranian version. Qual Life Res. 2000, 9: 177-184. 10.1023/A:1008918310251.
Mihailova Z, Butorin N, Antonov R, Toporov N, Popova V: Evaluation of the Bulgarian version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life questionnaire C30 (version 2) and breast cancer module (BR23) on the psychometric properties of breast cancer patients under adjuvant chemotherapy. Prognostic value of estrogen and progesterone receptors to quality of life. J Balkan Union of Oncol. 2001, 6: 415-424.
Coster S, Poole K, Fallowfield LJ: The validation of a quality of life scale to assess the impact of arm morbidity in breast cancer patients post-operatively. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2001, 68: 273-282. 10.1023/A:1012278023233.
Carpenter JS: The hot flash related daily interference scale: a tool for assessing the impact of hot flashes on quality of life following breast cancer. J Pain Symptom Manag. 2001, 22: 979-989. 10.1016/S0885-3924(01)00353-0.
Pandey M, Thomas BC, Ramdas K, Eremenco S, Nair K: Quality of life in breast cancer patients: validation of FACT-B Malayalam version. Qual Life Res. 2002, 11: 87-90. 10.1023/A:1015083713014.
Chie WC, Chang KJ, Huang CS, Kuo WH: Quality of life of breast cancer patients in Taiwan: validation of the Taiwan Chinese version of the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-BR23. Psycho-Oncol. 2003, 12: 729-735. 10.1002/pon.727.
Lee EH, Chun M, Kang S, Lee HJ: Validation of the functional assessment of cancer therapy-general (FACT-G) scale for measuring the health-related quality of life in Korean women with breast cancer. Jap J Clin Oncol. 2004, 34: 393-399. 10.1093/jjco/hyh070.
Yun YH, Bae SH, Kang IO, Shin KH, Lee R, Kwon SI, Park YS, Lee ES: Cross-cultural application of the Korean version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Breast-Cancer Speicifc Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-BR23). Support Care Cancer. 2004, 12: 441-445. 10.1007/s00520-004-0632-3.
Parmar V, Badwe RA, Hawaldar R, Rayabhattanavar S, Varghese A, Sharma R, Mittra I: Validation of EORTC quality-of-life questionnaire in Indian women with operable breast cancer. Natl Med J India. 2005, 18: 172-177.
Avis NE, Foley KL: Evaluation of the Quality of Life in Adult Cancer Survivors (QLACS) scale for long term cancer survivors in a sample of breast cancer survivors. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2006, 4: 92-10.1186/1477-7525-4-92.
Wan C, Zhang D, Yang Z, Tu X, Tang W, Feng C, Wang H, Tang X: Validation of the simplified Chinese version of the FACT-B for measuring quality of life for patients with breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2007, 106: 413-418. 10.1007/s10549-007-9511-1.
Wan C, Tang X, Tu XM, Feng C, Messing S, Meng Q, Zhang X: Psychometric properties of the simplified Chinese version of the EORTC QLQ-BR53 for measuring quality of life for breast cancer patients. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2007, 105: 187-193. 10.1007/s10549-006-9443-1.
Baum M, Ebbs SR, Fallowfield LJ, Fraser SC: Measurement of quality of life in advanced breast cancer. Acta Oncol. 1990, 29: 391-395. 10.3109/02841869009090020.
Sutherland HJ, Lockwood GA, Boyd NF: Ratings of the importance of quality of life variables: therapeutic implications. J Clin Epidemiol. 1990, 43: 661-666. 10.1016/0895-4356(90)90036-O.
Gelber RD, Goldhirsch A, Hunry C, Bernhard J, Simes RJ: Quality of life in clinical trials of adjuvant therapies. International Breast Cancer Study Group (formerly Ludwig Group). J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr. 1992, 11: 127-135.
Ganz A, Lee JJ, Sim MS, Polinsky ML, Schag CA: Exploring the influence of multiple variables on the relationship of age to quality of life in women with breast cancer. J Clin Epidemiol. 1992, 45: 473-485. 10.1016/0895-4356(92)90096-6.
Gelber RD, Goldhirsch A, Cole BF: Parametric extrapolation of survival estimates with applications to quality of life evaluation of treatments. International Breast Cancer Study Group. Control Clin Trials. 1993, 14: 485-499. 10.1016/0197-2456(93)90029-D.
Hayden KA, Moinpour CM, Metch B, Feigl P, O'Bryan RM, Green S, Osborne CK: Pitfalls in quality-of-life assessment: lessons from a Southwest Oncology Group Breast Cancer Clinical Trial. Oncol Nurs Forum. 1993, 20: 1415-1419.
Fallowfield LJ: Quality of life measurement in breast cancer. J R Soc Med. 1993, 86 (1): 10-12.
Gerard K, Dobson M, Hall J: Framing and labeling effects in health descriptions: quality adjusted life years for treatment of breast cancer. J Clin Epidemiol. 1993, 46: 77-84. 10.1016/0895-4356(93)90011-O.
Hurny C, Bernhard J, Coates A, Castiglione M, Peterson HF, Gelber RD, Rudenstam CM, Goldhirsch A, Senn HJ: Timing of baseline quality of life assessment in an international adjuvant breast cancer trial: its effects on patient self-estimation. The International Breast Cancer Study Group. Ann Oncol. 1994, 5: 65-74.
Fallowfield LJ: Assessment of quality of life in breast cancer. Acta Oncol. 1995, 34: 689-694. 10.3109/02841869509094050.
Hietanen PS: Measurement and practical aspects of quality of life in breast cancer. Acta Oncol. 1996, 35: 39-42. 10.3109/02841869609098477.
Bernhard J, Hurny C, Coates AS, Peterson HF, Castiglione-Gertsch M, Gelber R, Goldhirsch A, Senn HJ, Rudenstam CM: Quality of life assessment in patients receiving adjuvant therapy for breast cancer: the IBCSG approach. The International Breast Cancer Study Group. Ann Oncol. 1997, 8: 825-835. 10.1023/A:1008269715091.
Bernhard J, Hurny C, Coates AS, Peterson HF, Castiglione-Gertsch M, Gelber RD, Galligioni E, Marini G, Thurlimann B, Forbes JF, Goldhirsch A, Senn HJ, Rudenstam CM: Factors affecting baseline quality of life in two international adjuvant breast cancer trials. International Breast Cancer Study Group (IBCSG). Br J Cancer. 1998, 78: 686-693.
Bernhard J, Peterson HF, Coates AS, Gusset H, Isley M, Hinkle R, Gelber RD, Castiglione-Gertsch M, Hurny C: Quality of life of assessment in International Breast Cancer Study Group (IBCSG) trials: practical issues and factors associated with missing data. Stat Med. 1998, 17: 587-601. 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0258(19980315/15)17:5/7<587::AID-SIM806>3.0.CO;2-#.
Ganz PA, Rowland JH, Desmond K, Meyerowitz BE, Wyatt GE: Life after breast cancer: understanding women's health-related quality of life and sexual functioning. J Clin Oncol. 1998, 16: 501-514.
Coates A, Gebski V: Quality of life studies of the Australian New Zealand Breast Cancer Trials Group: approaches to missing data. Stat Med. 1998, 17: 5330540-10.1002/(SICI)1097-0258(19980315/15)17:5/7<533::AID-SIM800>3.0.CO;2-Y.
Jansen SJT, Stiggelbout AM, Nooij MA, Noordijk EM, Kievit J: Response shift in quality of life measurement in early-stage breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. Qual Life Res. 2000, 9: 603-615. 10.1023/A:1008928617014.
Curran D, Aaronson N, Standaert B, Molenberghs G, Therasse P, Ramirez A, Koopmanschap M, Eder H, Piccart M: Summary measures and statistics in the analysis of quality of life data: an example from an EORTC-NCIC-SAKK locally advanced breast cancer study. Eur J Cancer. 2000, 36: 834-844. 10.1016/S0959-8049(00)00056-3.
Perez DJ, Williams SM, Christensen EA, McGee RO, Camplbell AV: A longitudinal study of health related quality of life and utility measures in patient with advanced breast cancer. Qual Life Res. 2001, 10: 578-593. 10.1023/A:1013193007095.
Nagel GC, Schmidt S, Strauss BM, Katenkamp D: Quality of life in breast cancer patients: a cluster analytic approach. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2001, 68: 75-87. 10.1023/A:1017975609835.
Mosconi P, Colozza M, Laurentiis MD, Placido SD, Maltoni M: Survival, quality of life and breast cancer. Ann Oncol. 2001, 12 (Suppl 3): S15-S19. 10.1023/A:1013082612737.
Efficace F, Bottomely A, Collines GS: Quality of life in breast cancer: measurement issues in breast cancer clinical trials. Expert Rev Pharmaeconomic Outcomes Res. 2002, 2: 57-65. 10.1586/14737167.2.1.57.
Wilson RW, Hutson LM, Vanstry D: Comparing of 2 quality of life questionnaires in women treated for breast cancer: the RAND 36-Item Health Survey and the Functional Living Index-Cancer. Physical Therapy. 2005, 85: 851-860.
Carver CS, Smith RG, Petronis VM, Antoni MH: Quality of life among long-term survivors of breast cancer: different types of antecedents predict different class of outcomes. Psycho-Oncol. 2006, 15: 749-758. 10.1002/pon.1006.
Perry S, Kowalski TL, Chang CH: Quality of life assessment in women with breast cancer: benefits, acceptability and utilization. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes. 2007, 5: 24-10.1186/1477-7525-5-24.
de Haes JC, van Oostrom MA, Welvaart K: Quality of life after breast surgery. J Surg Oncol. 1985, 28: 123-125. 10.1002/jso.2930280211.
de Haes JC, van Oostrom MA, Welvaart K: The effect of radical and conserving surgery on the quality of life of early breast cancer patients. Eur J Surg Oncol. 1986, 12: 337-342.
Ganz PA, Schag CA, Lee JJ, Polinsy ML, Tan S: Breast conservation versus mastectomy: is there a difference in psychological adjustment or quality of life in the year after surgery. Cancer. 1992, 69: 1729-1738. 10.1002/1097-0142(19920401)69:7<1729::AID-CNCR2820690714>3.0.CO;2-D.
Shimozuma K, Sonoo H, Ichihara K, Kurebayashi J, Miyake K, Yoshikawa K, Ota K: Analysis of factors associated with quality of life in breast cancer patients after surgery. Breast Cancer. 1994, 1: 123-129.
Neises M, Sir MS, Strittmatter HJ, et al: Influencing of age and of different operative methods on the quality of life in patients with breast cancer. Onkologie. 1994, 17: 410-419.
Fallowfield L: Quality of life in the elderly women with breast cancer treated with tamoxifen and surgery or tamoxifen alone. J Women's Health. 1994, 3: 17-20.
Shimozuma K, Sonoo H, Ichihara K, Miyake K, Kurebayashi J, Ota K, Kiyono T: The impact of breast conserving treatment and mastectomy on the quality of life in early-stage breast cancer patients. Breast Cancer. 1995, 2: 35-43.
Hart S, Meyerowitz BE, Apolone G, Mosconi P, Liberati A: Quality of life among mastectomy patients using external breast prostheses. Tumori. 1997, 83: 581-586.
Dorval M, Maunsell E, Deschenes L, Brisson J, Masse B: Long-term quality of life after breast cancer: comparison of 8-year survivors with population controls. J Clin Oncol. 1998, 16: 487-494.
Curran D, van Dongen JP, Aaronson NK, Kiebert G, Fentiman IS, Mignolet F, Bartelink H: Quality of life of early-stage breast cancer patients treated with radical mastectomy or breast conserving procedures: results of EORTC trial 10801. Eur J Cancer. 1998, 34: 307-314. 10.1016/S0959-8049(97)00312-2.
Wapnir IL, Cody RP, Greco RS: Subtle differences in quality of life after breast cancer surgery. Ann Surg Oncol. 1999, 6: 359-366. 10.1007/s10434-999-0359-y.
Shimozuma K, Ganz PA, Petersen L, Hirji K: Quality of life in the first year after breast cancer surgery: rehabilitation needs and patterns of recovery. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 1999, 56: 45-57. 10.1023/A:1006214830854.
Pusic A, Thompson TA, Kerrigan CL, Sargeant R, Slezak S, Chang BW, Kelzisouer KJ, Manson PN: Surgical options for early-stage breast cancer: factors associated with patient choice and postoperative quality of life. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1999, 104: 1325-1333. 10.1097/00006534-199910000-00013.
Amichetti M, Caffo O, Arcicasa M, Roncadin M, Lora O, Rigon A, Zini G, Armaroli L, Coghetto F, Zorat P, Neri S, Teodorani N: Quality of life in patients with ductal carcionoma in situ of the breast treated with conservative surgery and postoperative irradiation. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 1999, 54: 109-115. 10.1023/A:1006125602353.
King MT, Kenny P, Shiell A, Hall J, Boyages J: Quality of life three months and one year after first treatment for early stage breast cancer: influence of treatment and patient characteristics. Qual Life Res. 2000, 9: 789-800. 10.1023/A:1008936830764.
Kenny P, King MT, Sheill A, Seymour J, Hall J, Langlsnds A, Boyages J: Early stage breast cancer, costs and quality of life one year after treatment by mastectomy or conservative surgery and radiation therapy. Breast. 2000, 9: 37-44. 10.1054/brst.1999.0111.
Nissen MJ, Swenson KK, Ritz LJ, Farrell JB, Sladek ML, Lally RM: Quality of life after breast carcinoma surgery: a comparison of three surgical procedures. Cancer. 2001, 91: 1238-1246. 10.1002/1097-0142(20010401)91:7<1238::AID-CNCR1124>3.0.CO;2-X.
Janni W, Rjosk D, Dimpfl T, Haertl K, Strobl B, Hepp F, Hanke A, Bergauer F, Sommer H: Quality of life influenced by primary surgical treatment for stage I-III breast cancer-long term follow-up of a matched-pair analysis. Ann Surg Oncol. 2001, 8: 542-548.
Girotto JA, Schreiber J, Nahabedian MY: Breast reconstruction in the elderly: preserving excellent quality of life. Ann Plast Surg. 2003, 50: 572-578. 10.1097/01.SAP.0000069064.68579.19.
Cocquyt VF, Blondeel PN, Depypere HT, Sijpe van de KA, Daems KK, Monstrey SJ, van Belle SJ: Better cosmetic results and comparable quality of life skin-sparing mastectomy and immediate autologous breast reconstruction compared to breast conservative treatment. Br J Plast Surg. 2003, 56: 462-470. 10.1016/S0007-1226(03)00198-X.
Engel J, Kerr J, Schlesinger-Raab A, Sauer H, Halzel D: Quality of life following breast-conserving therapy or mastectomy: results of a 5-year prospective study. Breast J. 2004, 10: 223-231. 10.1111/j.1075-122X.2004.21323.x.
Ganz PA, Kwan L, Stanton AL, Krupnick JL, Rowland JH, Meyerowitz BE, Bower JE, Belin TR: Quality of life at the end of primary treatment of breast cancer: first results from the moving beyond cancer randomized trial. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2004, 96: 376-387.
Dubernard G, Sideris L, Delaloge S, Marsiglia H, Rochard F, Travagli JP, Mathieu MC, Lumbroso J, Spielmann M, Garbay JR, Rouzier R: Quality of life after sentinel lymph node biopsy in early breast cancer. Eur J Surgical Oncol. 2004, 30: 728-734. 10.1016/j.ejso.2004.05.006.
Elder EE, Brandberg Y, Bjorklund T, Rylander R, Lagergren J, Jurell G, Wickman M, Sandelin K: Quality of life and patient satisfaction in breast cancer patients after immediate breast reconstruction: a prospective study. Breast. 2005, 14: 201-208. 10.1016/j.breast.2004.10.008.
Barranger E, Dubernard G, Fleurence J, Antoine M, Darai E, Uzan S: Subjective morbidity and quality of life after sentinel node biopsy and axillary lymph node dissection for breast cancer. J Surg Oncol. 2005, 92: 17-22. 10.1002/jso.20343.
Fleissig A, Fallowfield LJ, Langridge CI, Johnson L, Newcombe RG, Dixon JM, Kissin M, Mansel RE: Post-operative arm morbidity and quality of life. Results of the ALMANAC randomized trial comparing sentinel node biopsy with standard axillary treatment in the management of patients with early breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2006, 95: 279-293. 10.1007/s10549-005-9025-7.
Pandey M, Thomas BC, Ramdas K, Ratheesan K: Early effect of surgery on quality of life in women with operable breast cancer. Jap J Clin Oncol. 2006, 36: 468-472. 10.1093/jjco/hyl065.
Rietman JS, Geertzen JH, Hoekstra HJ, Baas P, Dolsma WV, de Vries J, Groothoff JW, Eisma WH, Dijkstra PU: Long term treatment related upper limb morbidity and quality of life after sentinel lymph node biopsy for stage I or II breast cancer. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2006, 32: 148-152. 10.1016/j.ejso.2005.11.008.
Parker PA, Youssef A, Walker S, Basen-Engquist K, Cohen L, Gritz ER, Wei QX, Robb GL: Short-term and long-term psychosocial adjustment and quality of life in women undergoing different surgical procedures for breast cancer. Ann Surg Oncol. 2007, 14: 3078-3089. 10.1245/s10434-007-9413-9.
Palmer BV, Walsh GA, McKinna JA, Greening WP: Adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer: side effects and quality of life. Br Med J. 1980, 281: 1594-1597.
Coates A, Gebski V, Bishop JF, Jeal PN, Woods RL, Snyder R, Tattersall MH, Byrne M, Harvey V, Gill G: Improving the quality of life during chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer. A comparison of intermittent and continuous treatment strategies. N Engl J Med. 1987, 317: 1490-1495.
Kiebert GM, Hanneke J, de Haes CJ, Kievit J, Velde van de CJ: Effect of peri-operative chemotherapy on the quality of life of patients with early breast cancer. Eur J Cancer. 1990, 26: 1038-1042.
Gelber RD, Goldhirsch A, Cavalli F: Quality of life adjusted evaluation of adjuvant therapies for operable breast cancer. The International Breast Cancer Study Group. Ann Intern Med. 1991, 114: 621-628.
Berglund G, Bolund C, Fornander T, Rutqvist LE, Sjoden PO: Late effects of adjuvant chemotherapy and postoperative radiotherapy on quality of life among breast cancer. Eur J Cancer. 1991, 27: 1075-1081.
Richards MA, Hopwood P, Ramirez AJ, Twelves CJ, Ferguson J, Gregory WM, Swindell R, Scrivener W, Miller J, Howell A, et al: Doxorubicin in advanced breast cancer: influence of schedule on response, survival and quality of life. Eur J Cancer. 1992, 28: 1023-1028. 10.1016/0959-8049(92)90447-A.
Hurny C, Bernhard J, Gelber RD: Quality of life measures for patients receiving adjuvant therapy for breast cancer: an international trial. Eur J Cancer. 1992, 28: 118-124. 10.1016/0959-8049(92)90399-M.
Campora E, Naso C, Vitullo MT, Giudici S, Camoirano A, Repetto L, Rosso R: The impact of chemotherapy on the quality of life of breast cancer patients. J Chemother. 1992, 4: 59-63.
Fraser SCA, Dobbs HJ, Ebbes SR, Fallowfield LJ, Bates T, Baum M: Combination or mild single agent chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer: CMF vs. epirubicin measuring quality of life. Br J Cancer. 1993, 67: 402-406.
Twelves CJ, Dobbs NA, Lawrence MA, Ramirez AJ, Summerhayes M, Richards MA, Towlson KE, Rubens RD: Iododoxorubicin in advanced breast cancer-A phase II evaluation of clinical activity, pharmachology and quality of life. Br J Cancer. 1994, 69: 726-731.
Bertsch LA, Donaldson G: Quality of life analysis from vinorelbine (Navelbine) clinical trials of women with metastatic breast cancer. Semin Oncol. 1995, 22 (Suppl 5): 45-54.
Swain SM, Rowland J, Weinfurt K, Berg C, Lippman ME, Walton L, Egan E, King D, Spertus I, Honig SF: Intensive outpatient adjuvant therapy for breast cancer: results of dose escalation and quality of life. J Clin Oncol. 1996, 14: 1565-1572.
McQuellon RP, Craven B, Russell GB, Hoffman S, Cruz JM, Perry JJ, Hurd DD: Quality of life in breast cancer patients before and after autologous bone marrow transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant. 1996, 18: 579-584.
Larsen J, Gradulf A, Nordstrom G, Bjorkstrand B, Ljungman P: Health-related quality of life in women with breast cancer undergoing atologous stem-cell transplantation. Cancer Nurs. 1996, 19: 368-375. 10.1097/00002820-199610000-00006.
Hurny C, Bernhard J, Coates AS, Castiglione-Gertsch M, Peterson HF, Gelber RD, Forbes JF, Rudenstam CM, Simoncini E, Crivellari D, Goldhirsch A, Senn HJ: Impact of adjuvant therapy on quality of life in women with node-positive operable breast cancer. International Breast Cancer Study Group. Lancet. 1996, 347: 1279-1284.
Griffiths A, Beaver K: Pilot study reports: Quality of life during high dose chemotherapy for breast cancer. Int J Palliat Nurs. 1997, 3: 138-144.
Lindley C, Vasa S, Sawyer WT, Winer EP: Quality of life and preferences for treatment following systematic adjuvant therapy for early-stage breast cancer. Clin Oncol. 1998, 16: 1380-1387.
Ganz PA, Rowland JH, Meyerowitz BE, Desmond KA: Impact of different adjuvant therapy strategies on quality of life in breast cancer survivors. Recent Results Cancer Res. 1998, 152: 396-411.
Bernhard J, Castiglione-Gertsch M, Schmitz SFH, Castiglione-Gertsch M, Cavalli F, Morant R, fey MF, Bonnefoi H, Goldhirsch A, Hurny C: Quality of life in postmenopausal patients with breast cancer after failure of tamoxifen: formestane versus megestrol acetate as second-line hormonal treatment. Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK). Eur J Cancer. 1999, 35: 913-920. 10.1016/S0959-8049(99)00028-3.
Fairclough DL, Fetting JH, Cella D, Wonson W, Moinpour CM: Quality of life and quality adjusted survival for breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant therapy. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG). Qual Life Res. 1999, 8: 723-731. 10.1023/A:1008806828316.
Osoba D, Burchmore M: Health-related quality of life in women with metastatic breast cancer treated with trastuzumab (Herceptin). Semin Oncol. 1999, 26 (4 Suppl 12): 84-88.
McLachlan SA, Pintillie M, Tannock IF: Third line chemotherapy in patients with metastatic breast cancer: an evaluation of quality of life and cost. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 1999, 54: 213-223. 10.1023/A:1006123721205.
Macquart-Moulin G, Viens P, Palangie T, Bouscary ML, Delozier T, Roche H, Janvier M, Fabbro M, Moatti JP: High-dose sequential chemotherapy with recombination granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and repeated stem-cell support for inflammatory breast cancer patients: does impact on quality of life jeopardize feasibility and acceptability of treatment?. J Clin Oncol. 2000, 18: 754-764.
Riccardi A, Tinelli C, Brugnatelli S, Pugliese P, Giardina V, Giordano M, Danova M, Richetti A, Fava S, Rinaldi E, Fregoni V, Trotti G, Poli A: Doubling of the epirubicin dosage within the 5-fluorouracil, epirubicin and cyclophosphamide regimen: a prospective randomized, multicentric study on antitumor effect and quality of life in advanced breast cancer. Int J Oncol. 2000, 16: 769-776.
Kramer JA, Curran D, Piccart M, de Haes JC, Bruning PF, Klijn JG, Bontenbal M, van Pottelsberghe C, Groenvold M, Paridaens R: Randomized trial of paclitaxel versus doxorubicin as first-line chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer: quality of life evaluation using the EORTC QLQ-C30 and the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist. Eur J Cancer. 2000, 36: 1488-1497. 10.1016/S0959-8049(00)00134-9.
Kramer JA, Curran D, Piccart M, de Haes JC, Bruning PF, Klijn JG, van Hoorebeeck I, Paridaens R: Identification and interpretation of clinical and quality of life prognostic factors for survival and response to treatment in firs-line chemotherapy in advanced breast cancer. Eur J Cancer. 2000, 36: 1498-1506. 10.1016/S0959-8049(00)00144-1.
Joly F, Espie M, Marty M, Heron JF, Henry-Amar M: Long-term quality of life in premenopausal women with node-negative localized breast cancer treated with or without adjuvant chemotherapy. Br J Cancer. 2000, 83: 577-582. 10.1054/bjoc.2000.1337.
Hakamies-Blomqvist L, Luoma ML, Sjostrom J, Pluzanska A, Sjodin M, Mouridsen H, Ostenstad B, Mjaaland I, Ottosson-Lonn S, Bergh J, Malmstrom P, Blomqvist C: Quality of life in patients with metastatic breast cancer receiving either docetaxel or sequential methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil. A multicenter randomized phase III trial by the Scandinavian Breast Group. Eur J Cancer. 2000, 36: 1411-1417. 10.1016/S0959-8049(00)00126-X.
Broeckel JA, Jacobsen PB, Balducci L, Horton J, Lyman GH: Quality of life after adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2000, 62: 141-150. 10.1023/A:1006401914682.
Carlson LE, Koski T, Gluck S: Longitudinal effects of high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation on quality of life in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Bone Marrow Transpl. 2001, 27: 989-998. 10.1038/sj.bmt.1703002.
Osoba D, Slamon DJ, Burchmore M, Murphy M: Effects on quality of life of combined trastuzumab and chemotherapy in women with metastatic breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2002, 20: 3106-3113. 10.1200/JCO.2002.03.090.
Modi S, Panageas KS, Duck ET, Bach A, Weinstock N, Dougherty J, Cramer L, Hudis C, Norton L, Seidman A: Prospective exploratory analysis of the association between tumor response, quality of life, and expenditure among patients receiving paclitaxel monotherapy for refractory metastatic breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2002, 20: 3665-3673. 10.1200/JCO.2002.08.057.
Heidemann E, Stoeger H, Souchon R, Hirschmann WD, Bodenstein H, Oberhoff C, Fischer JT, Schulze M, Clemens M, Andreesen R, Mahlke M, Konig M, Scharl A, Fehnle K, Kaufmann M: Is first-line single-agent mitoxantrone in the treatment of high-risk metastatic breast cancer patients as effective as combination chemotherapy? No difference in survival but higher quality of life were found in a multicenter randomized trial. Ann Oncol. 2002, 13: 1717-1729. 10.1093/annonc/mdf306.
Genre D, Protiere C, Macquart-Moulin G, Gravis G, Camerlo J, Alzieu C, Maraninchi D, Moatite JP, Viens P: Quality of life of breast cancer patients receiving high-dose-intensity chemotherapy: impact of length of cycles. Support Care Cancer. 2002, 10: 222-230. 10.1007/s00520-001-0322-3.
de Haes H, Olschewski M, Kaufmann M, Schumacher M, Jonat W, Sauerbrei W: Quality of life in goserelin-treated versus cyclophosphamide plus methotrexate plus fluorouracil-treated premenopausal and perimenopausal patients with node-positive early breast cancer: the Zoladex Early Breast Cancer research Association Trialists Group. J Clin Oncol. 2003, 21: 4510-4516. 10.1200/JCO.2003.11.064.
Brandberg Y, Michelson H, Nilsson B, Bolund C, Erikstein B, Hietanen P, Kaasa S, Nilsson J, Wiklund T, Wilking N, Bergh J: Quality of life in women with breast cancer during the first year after random assignment to adjuvant treatment with marrow-supported high-dose chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, thiotepa, and carboplatin or tailored therapy with fluorouracil, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide: Scandinavian Breast Group Study 9401. J Clin Oncol. 2003, 21: 3659-3664. 10.1200/JCO.2003.07.020.
Land SR, Kopec JA, Yothers G, Anderson S, Day R, Tang G, Ganz PA, Fisher B, Wolmark N: Health-related quality of life in axillary node-negative, estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer patients undergoing AC versus CMF chemotherapy: findings from the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project B-23. Breast Cancer Res. Treat. 2004, 86: 153-164. 10.1023/B:BREA.0000032983.87966.4e.
Fallowfield L, Cella D, Cuzick J, Francis S, Locker G, Howll A: Quality of life of postmenopausal women in the Arimidex, tamoxifen alone or in combination (ATAC) adjuvant breast cancer trial. J Clin Oncol. 2004, 22: 4261-4271. 10.1200/JCO.2004.08.029.
Bottomely A, Biganzoli L, Cufer T, Coleman RE, Coens C, Efficace F, Calvert HA, Gamucci T, Twelves C, Fargeot P, Piccart M: Randomized controlled trial investigating short-term health-related quality of life with doxorubicin and paclitaxel versus doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide as first-line chemotherapy in patients with metastatic breast cancer: European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Breast Cancer Group, Investigational Drug Branch for Breast Cancer and the New Drug Development Group Study. J Clin Oncol. 2004, 22 (13): 2576-86. 10.1200/JCO.2004.02.037.
Bernhard J, Zahrieh D, Coates AS, Gelber R, Castiglione-Gertsch M, Murray E, Forbes JF, Perey L, Collins J, Snyder R, Rudenstam CM, Crivellari D, Veronesi A, Thurlimann B, Fey MF, Price KN, Goldhirsch A, Hurny C: Quantifying trade-off: quality of life and quality-adjusted survival in a randomized trial of chemotherapy in postmenopausal patients with lymph node-negative breast cancer. Br J Cancer. 2004, 91: 1893-1901. 10.1038/sj.bjc.6602230.
Tong DK, Cheng CW, Ching CS, Ngor WL, Chow LW: Phase II study of 'all-oral' regimen of capecitabine, idarubicin and cyclophosphamide for metastatic breast cancer: safety, efficacy and quality of life. Oncology. 2005, 68: 520-525. 10.1159/000086996.
Galalae RM, Michel J, Siebmann JU, Kuchler T, Eilf K, Kimmig B: Significant negative impact of adjuvant chemotherapy on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in women with breast cancer treated by conserving surgery and postoperative 3-D radiotherapy. A prospective measurement. Strahlenther Onkol, (Strahlentherapie und Onkologie). 2005, 181: 645-651. 10.1007/s00066-005-1403-x.
Elkin EB, Weinstein MC, Kuntz KM, Bunnell CA, Weeks JC: Adjuvant ovarian suppression versus chemotherapy for premenopausal, hormone-responsive breast cancer: quality of life and efficacy tradeoffs. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2005, 93: 25-34. 10.1007/s10549-005-3380-2.
Conner-Spady BL, Cumming C, Nabholtz JM, Jacobs P, Stewart D: A longitudinal prospective study of health-related quality of life in breast cancer patients following high-dose chemotherapy with autologous blood stem cell transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplantation. 2005, 36: 251-259. 10.1038/sj.bmt.1705032.
Bottomley A, Therasse P, Piccart M, Efficace F, Coens C, Gotay C, Welnicka-Jaskiewicz M, Mauriac L, Dyczka J, Cufer T, Lichinitser MR, Schornagel JH, Bonnefoi H, Shepherd L: Health-related quality of life in survivors of locally advanced breast cancer: an international randomized controlled phase III trial. Lancet Oncol. 2005, 6: 287-294. 10.1016/S1470-2045(05)70100-5.
Ahles TA, Saykin AJ, Furstenberg CT, Cole B, Mott LA, Ttius-Ernstoff L, Skalla K, Bakitas M, Silberfarb PM: Quality of life of long-term survivors of breast cancer and lymphoma treated with standard-dose chemotherapy or local therapy. J Clin Oncol. 2005, 23: 4399-4405. 10.1200/JCO.2005.03.343.
Peppercorn J, Herndon J, Kornblith AB, Peters W, Ahles T, Vredenburgh J, Schwartz G, Shpall E, Hurd DD, Holland J, Winer E: Quality of life among patients with stage II and III breast carcinoma randomized to receive high-dose chemotherapy with autologous bone marrow support or intermediate-dose chemotherapy: results from cancer and group B 9066. Cancer. 2005, 104: 1580-1589. 10.1002/cncr.21363.
Semiglazov VF, Stepula VV, Dudov A, Schnitker J, Mengs U: Quality of life is improved in breast cancer patients by Standardised Mistletoe Extract PS76A2 during chemotherapy and follow-up: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicentre clinical trial. Anticancer Res. 2006, 26: 1519-1529.
Martin M, Lluch a, Segui MA, Ruzi A, Ramos M, adrover E, Rodriguez-Lescure A, Grosse R, Calvo L, Fernandez-Chacon C, Roset M, Anton A, Isla D, del Prado PM, Iglesias L, Zaluski J, Arcusa A, Lopez-Vega JM, Munoz M, Mel JR: Toxicity and health-related quality of life in breast patients receiving adjuvant docetaxel, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide (TAC) or 5-fluorouracil, doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (FAC): impact of adding primary prophylactic granulocyte-colony stimulating factor to the TAC regimen. Annal Oncol. 2006, 17: 1205-1212. 10.1093/annonc/mdl135.
Hurria A, Zuckerman E, Panageas KS, Fornier M, D'Andrea G, Dang C, Moasser M, Robson M, Seidman A, Currie V, Van Poznak C, Theodoulou M, Lachs MS, Hudis C: A prospective, longitudinal study of the functional status and quality of life of older patients with breast cancer receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. J Am Geri Soc. 2006, 54: 1119-1124. 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2006.00789.x.
Fallowfield LJ, Bliss JM, Porter LS, Price MH, Snowdon CF, Jones SE, Coobes RC, Hall E: Quality of life in the intergroup exemestane study: a randomized trial of exemestane versus continued tamoxifen after 2 to 3 years of tamoxifen in postmenopausal women with primary breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2006, 24: 910-917. 10.1200/JCO.2005.03.3654.
Groenvold M, Fayers PM, Petersen MA, Mouridsen HT: Chemotherapy versus ovarian ablation as adjuvant therapy for breast cancer: impact on health-related quality of life in a randomized trial. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2006, 98: 275-284. 10.1007/s10549-006-9160-9.
Cella D, Fallowfield L, Barker P, Cuzick J, Locker G, Howell A: Quality of life of postmenopausal women in the ATAC (Arimidex, tamoxifen, alone or in combination) trial after completion of 5 years' adjuvant treatment for early breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res & Treat. 2006, 100: 273-284. 10.1007/s10549-006-9260-6.
Liu J, Tu D, Dancey J, Reyno L, Pritchard KI, Pater J, Seymour LK: Quality of life analyses in a clinical trial of DPPE (tesmilifene) plus doxorubicin versus doxorubicin in patients with advanced or metastatic breast cancer: NCIC CTG Trial MA 19. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2006, 100: 263-271. 10.1007/s10549-006-9257-1.
Karamouzis MV, Ioannidis G, Rigatos G: Quality of life in metastatic breast cancer patients under chemotherapy or supportive care: a single-institution comparative study. Eur J Cancer Care. 2007, 16: 433-438. 10.1111/j.1365-2354.2006.00771.x.
Hopwood P, Haviland J, Mills J, Sumo G, M Bliss J, START Trial Management Group: The impact of age and clinical factors on quality of life in early breast cancer: an analysis of 2208 women recruited to the UK START Trial (Standardization of Breast Radiotherapy Trial). Breast. 2007, 16: 241-251. 10.1016/j.breast.2006.11.003.
Fraser SCA, Ramirez AJ, Ebbes SR, Fallowfield LJ, Dobbs HJ, Richards MA, Bates T, Baum M: A daily diary for quality of life measurement in advanced breast cancer trials. Br J Cancer. 1993, 67: 341-346.
Seidman AD, Portenoy R, Yao TJ, Lepore J, Mont EK, Kortmansky J, Onetto N, Ren L, Grechko J, Beltangady M, et al: Quality of life in phase II trials-A study of methodology and predictive value in patients with advanced breast cancer treated with paclitaxel, plus granulocyte colony stimulating factor. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1995, 187: 1316-1322. 10.1093/jnci/87.17.1316.
Coates AS, Hurny C, Peterson HF, Bernhard J, Castinglione-Gertsch M, Gelberg D, Goldhirsch A: Quality of life scores predict outcome in metastatic but not early breast cancer. International Breast Cancer Study Group. J Clin Oncol. 2000, 18: 3768-3774.
Goodwin PJ, Ennis M, Bordeleau LJ, Pritchard KT, Trudeau Me, Koo J, Hood N: Health-related quality of life and psychosocial status in breast cancer prognosis: analysis of multiple variables. J Clin Oncol. 2004, 22: 4184-4192. 10.1200/JCO.2004.12.091.
Efficace F, Therasse P, Piccart MJ, Coens C, van Steen K, Welnicka-Jaskiewicz M, Cufer T, Dyczka J, Lichinitser M, Shepherd L, de Haes H, Srangers MA, Bottomley A: Health-related quality of life parameters as prognostic factors in a nonmetastatic breast cancer population: an international multicenter study. J Clin Oncol. 2004, 22: 3381-3388. 10.1200/JCO.2004.02.060.
Coates A, Gebski V, Signorini D, Murray P, McNeil D, Byne M, Forbes JF: Prognostic value of quality of life scores during chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer. Australian New Zealand Breast Cancer Trial Group. J Clin Oncol. 1992, 10: 1833-1838.
Luoma ML, Hakamies-Blomqvist L, Sjostrom J, Pluzanska A, Ottoson S, Mouridsen H, Bengtsson NO, Bergh J, Malmstrom P, Valvere V, Tennvall L, Blomqvist C: Prognostic value of quality of life scores for time to progression (TTP) and overall survival time (OS) in advanced breast cancer. Eur J Cancer. 2003, 39: 1370-1376. 10.1016/S0959-8049(02)00775-X.
Efficace F, Biganzoli L, Piccart M, Coens C, van Steen K, Cufer T, Coleman RE, Calvert HA, Gamucci T, Twelves C, Fargeot P, Bottomley A: Baseline health-related quality of life data as prognostic factors in a phase III multicenter study of women with metastatic breast cancer. Eur J Cancer. 2004, 40: 1021-1030. 10.1016/j.ejca.2004.01.014.
Shimozuma K, Sonoo H, Ichihara K, Tanaka K: The prognostic value of quality of life scores: preliminary results of an analysis of patients with breast cancer. Surg Today. 2000, 30: 255-261. 10.1007/s005950050055.
Ferrero J, Brisson J, Deschenes L, et al: Mental adjustment to cancer and quality of life in breast cancer patients-An exploratory study. Psycho-Oncol. 1994, 3: 223-232. 10.1002/pon.2960030309.
Ganz PA, coscarelli A, Fred C, Kahn B, Polinsky ML, Petersen L: Breast cancer survivors: psychosocial concerns and quality of life. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 1996, 38: 183-199. 10.1007/BF01806673.
Maunsell E, Brisson J, Deschenes L, Frasure-Smith N: Randomized trial of a psychologic distress screening program after breast cancer: effects on quality of life. J Clin Oncol. 1996, 14: 2747-2755.
Andrykowski MA, Curran SL, Studts JL, Cunningham L, Carpenter JS, McGrath PC, Sloan DA, Kenady DE: Psychological adjustment and quality of life in women with breast cancer and benign breast problems-a controlled comparison. J Clin Epidemiol. 1996, 49: 827-834. 10.1016/0895-4356(96)00028-5.
Marchioro G, Azzarello G, Checchin F, Perale M, Segati R, Sampognaro E, Rosetti F, Franchin A, Pappagallo GL, Vinate O: The impact of a psychological intervention on quality of life in non-metastatic breast cancer. Eur J Cancer. 1996, 32: 1612-1615. 10.1016/0959-8049(96)00134-7.
Weitzner MA, Meyers CA, Stuebing KK, Saleeba AK: Relationship between quality of life and mood in long-term survivors of breast cancer treated with mastectomy. Support Care Cancer. 1997, 5: 241-248. 10.1007/s005200050067.
Kissane DW, Clarke DM, Ikin J, Bloch S, Smith GC, Vietta L, McKenzie DP: Psychological morbidity and quality of life in Australian women with early-stage breast cancer: a cross-sectional survey. Med J Australia. 1998, 169: 192-196.
Bloom JR, Stewart SL, Johnston M, Banks P: Intrusiveness of illness and quality of life in young women with breast cancer. Psycho-Oncol. 1998, 7: 89-100. 10.1002/(SICI)1099-1611(199803/04)7:2<89::AID-PON293>3.3.CO;2-5.
Longman AJ, Braden CJ, Mishel MH: Side-effects burden, psychological adjustment, and life quality in women with breast cancer: pattern of association over time. Oncol Nurs Forum. 1999, 26: 909-915.
Cotton SP, Levine EG, Fitzpatrick CM, Dold KH, Targ E: Exploring the relationship among spiritual well-being, quality of life, and psychological adjustment in women with breast cancer. Psycho-Oncol. 1999, 8: 429-438. 10.1002/(SICI)1099-1611(199909/10)8:5<429::AID-PON420>3.0.CO;2-P.
Ashing-Giwa K: Quality of life and psychological outcome in long-term survivors of breast cancer: a focus on African-American women. J Psychosoc Oncol. 1999, 17: 47-62. 10.1300/J077v17n03_03.
Lewis JA, Manne SL, DuHamel KN, Vickburg SMJ, Bovjerg DH, Currie V, Winkel G, Redd WH: Social support, intrusive thoughts, and quality of life in breast cancer survivors. J Behav Med. 2001, 24: 231-245. 10.1023/A:1010714722844.
Amir M, Ramati A: Post-traumatic symptoms, emotional distress and quality of life in long-term survivors of breast cancer: a preliminary research. J Anxiety Disord. 2002, 16: 191-206. 10.1016/S0887-6185(02)00095-6.
Ganz PA, Guadagnoli E, Landdrum MB, Lash TL, Rakowski W, Silliman RA: Breast cancer in older women: quality of life and psychological adjustment in the 15 months after diagnosis. J Clin Oncol. 2003, 21: 4027-4033. 10.1200/JCO.2003.08.097.
Bordeleau L, Szalai JP, Ennis M, Leszcz M, Speca M, Sela R, Doll R, Chochinov HM, Navarro M, Arnold A, Pritchard KI, Bezjak A, Liewellyn-Thomas HA, Sawka CA, Goodwin PJ: Quality of life in a randomized trial of group psychological support in metastatic breast cancer: overall effects of the intervention and an exploration of missing data. J Clin Oncol. 2003, 21: 1944-1951. 10.1200/JCO.2003.04.080.
Badger TA, Braden CJ, Mishel MH, Longman A: Depression burden, psychological adjustment, and quality of life in women with breast cancer: patterns over time. Res Nurs Health. 2004, 27: 19-28. 10.1002/nur.20002.
Schreier AM, Williams SA: Anxiety and quality of life of women receive radiation or chemotherapy for breast cancer. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2004, 31: 127-130. 10.1188/04.ONF.127-130.
Kershaw T, Northouse L, kritpracha C, Schafenacker A, Mood D: Coping strategies and quality of life in women with advanced breast cancer and their family caregivers. Psychol Health. 2004, 19: 139-155. 10.1080/08870440310001652687.
Lehto US, Ojanen M, Kellokumpu-Lehtinen P: Predictor of quality of life in newly diagnosed melanoma and breast cancer patients. Annal Oncol. 2005, 16: 805-816. 10.1093/annonc/mdi146.
Roth RS, Lowery JC, Davis J, Wilkins E: Quality of life and affective distress in women seeking immediate versus delayed breast reconstruction after mastectomy for breast cancer. Plastic & Reconstruction Surgery. 2005, 116: 993-1002. 10.1097/01.prs.0000178395.19992.ca.
Okamura M, Yamavaki S, Akechi T, Taniguchi K, Uchitomi Y: Psychiatric disorders following first breast cancer recurrence: prevalence, associated factors and relationship to quality of life. Jap J Clin Oncol. 2005, 35: 302-309. 10.1093/jjco/hyi097.
Golden-Kreutz DM, Thornton LM, Wells-Di GS, Frierson GM, Jim HS, Carpenter KM, Shelby RA, Andersen BL: Traumatic stress, perceived global stress, and life events: prospectively predicting quality of life in breast cancer patients. Health Psychology. 2005, 24: 288-296. 10.1037/0278-6133.24.3.288.
Deshields T, Tibbs T, Fan MY, Bayer L, Taylor M, Fisher E: Ending treatment: the course of emotional adjustment and quality of life among breast cancer survivors immediately following radiation therapy. Support Care Cancer. 2005, 13: 1018-1026. 10.1007/s00520-005-0801-z.
Laid law T, Bennett BM, Dwivedi P, Naito A, Gruzellier J: Quality of life and mood changes in metastatic breast cancer after training in self-hypnosis or johrei: a short report. Contemp Hypn. 2005, 22: 84-93. 10.1002/ch.27.
Schou I, Ekeberg O, Sandvik L, Hjermstad MJ, Ruland CM: Multiple predictors of health-related quality of life in early stage breast cancer. Data from a year follow-upstudy compared with the general population. Qual Life Res. 2005, 14: 1813-1823. 10.1007/s11136-005-4344-z.
Grabsch B, Clarke DM, Love A, McKenzie DP, Snyder RD, Bloch S, Smith G, Kissane DW: Psychological morbidity and quality of life in women with advanced breast cancer: a cross-sectional survey. Palliat Support Care. 2006, 4: 47-56.
Antoni MH, Lechner SC, Kazi A, Wimberly SR, Sifre T, Urcuyo KR, Phillips K, Gluck S, Carver CS: How stress management improves quality of life after treatment for breast cancer. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2006, 74 (6): 1143-1152.
Wonghongkul T, Dechaprom N, Phumivichuvate L, Losawatkul S: Uncertainty appraisal coping and quality of life in breast cancer survivors. Cancer Nurs. 29: 250-257. 10.1097/00002820-200605000-00014.
Yen JY, Ko CH, Yen CF, Yang MJ, Wu CY, Juan CH, Hou MF: Quality of life, depression, and stress in breast cancer women outpatients receiving active therapy in Taiwan. Psychiatry & Clinical Neurosciences. 2006, 60: 147-153. 10.1111/j.1440-1819.2006.01479.x.
Costanzo ES, Lutgendorf SK, Mattes ML, Trehan S, Robinson CB, Tewfik F, Roman SL: Adjusting to life after treatment: distress and quality of life following treatment for breast cancer. Br J Cancer. 2007, 97: 1625-1631. 10.1038/sj.bjc.6604091.
Wong WS, Fielding R: Change in quality of life in Chinese women with breast cancer: changes in psychological distress as a predictor. Support Care Cancer. 2007, 15: 1223-1230. 10.1007/s00520-006-0190-y.
Meneses KD, McNees P, Loerzel VW, Su X, Zhang Y, Hassey LA: Transition from treatment to survivorship: effects of a psychoeducational intervention on quality of life in breast cancer survivors. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2007, 34: 1007-1016. 10.1188/07.ONF.1007-1016.
Spiegel D: Psychosocial aspects of breast cancer treatment. Semin Oncol. 1997, 24 (1 Suppl 1): S1-36–S1–47.
Baucom DH, Porter LS, Kiby JS, Gremore TM, Keefe FJ: Psychological issues confronting young women with breast cancer. Breast Dis. 2006, 23: 103-113.
Reich M, Lesur A, Perdrizet-Chevallier C: Depression, quality of life and breast cancer: a review of the literature. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2008, 110: 9-17. 10.1007/s10549-007-9706-5.
Groenvold M, Petersen MA, Idler E, Bjorner JB, fayers PM, Mouridsen HT: Psychological distress and fatigue predicted recurrence and survival in primary breast cancer patients. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2007, 105: 209-219. 10.1007/s10549-006-9447-x.
Kenne Sarenmalm E, Ohlén J, Jonsson T, Gaston-Johansson F: Coping with recurrent breast cancer: predictors of distressing symptoms and health-related quality of life. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2007, 34: 24-39. 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2006.10.017.
Spiegel D: Mind matters. Coping and cancer progression. J Psychosom Res. 2001, 50: 287-290. 10.1016/S0022-3999(00)00200-2.
van Holten-Verzantvoort AT, Zwinderman AH, Aaronson NK, Hermans J, van Emmerik B, van Dam FS, Bos van den B, Bijvoet OL, Cleton FJ: The effect of supportive pamidronate treatment on aspects of quality of life of patients with advanced breast cancer. Eur J Cancer. 1991, 27: 544-549.
Young-McCaughan S, Sexton DL: A retrospective investigation of the relationship between aerobic exercise and quality of life in women with breast cancer. Oncol Nurs Forum. 1991, 18: 751-757.
Soukop M, McQuade B, Hunter E, Stewart A, Kaye S, Cassidy J, Kerr D, Khanna S, Smyth J, Coleman R, et al: Ondansetron compared with Metoclopramide in the control of emesis: quality of life during repeated chemotherapy for breast cancer. Oncology. 1992, 49: 295-304.
Kornblith AB, Hollis DR, Zuckerman E, Lyss AP, Canello GP, Cooper MR, Herndon JE, Phillips CA, Abrams J, Aisner J, et al: Effect of megestrol acetate on quality of life in dose-response trial in women with advanced breast cancer. The Cancer and Leukemia Group B. J Clin Oncol. 1993, 11: 2081-2089.
Clavel M, Soukop M, Greenstreet YL: Improved control of emesis and quality of life with Ondansetron in breast cancer. Oncology. 1993, 50: 180-185.
Ashbury FD, Cameron C, Mercer SL, Fitch M, Nielsen E: One-on-one peer support and quality of life for breast cancer patients. Patient Educ Couns. 1998, 35: 89-100. 10.1016/S0738-3991(98)00035-4.
Lee CO: Quality of life and breast cancer survivors: psychological and treatment issues. Cancer Pract. 1997, 5: 309-316.
Wengstrom Y, Haggmark C, Strander H, Forsberg C: Effects of a nursing intervention on subjective distress, side-effects and quality of life of breast cancer patients receiving curative radiation therapy: a randomized study. Acta Oncol. 1999, 38: 763-770. 10.1080/028418699432923.
Lachaine J, Laurier C, Langleben A, Vaillant L: Cost-effectiveness and quality of life evaluation of ondansetron and metoclopramide for moderately emetogenic chemotherapy regimens in breast cancer. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 1999, 32: 105-112. 10.1016/S1040-8428(99)00025-6.
Ritz LJ, Nissen MJ, Swenson KK, Farrell JB, Sperduto PW, Sladek ML, Lally RM, Schroeder LM: Effects of advanced nursing care on quality of life and cost outcomes in women diagnosed with breast cancer. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2000, 27: 923-932.
Molenaar S, Sprangers MAG, Rutgers EJT, Luiten EJT, Mulder J, Boss MM, van Everdingen JJE, Oosterveld P, de Haes HCJM: Decision support for patients with early-stage breast cancer: effects of an interactive breast cancer CDROM on treatment decision, satisfaction, and quality of life. J Clin Oncol. 2001, 19: 1676-1687.
Sammarco A: Perceived social support, uncertainty, and quality of life of younger breast cancer survivors. Cancer Nurs. 2001, 24: 212-219. 10.1097/00002820-200106000-00010.
Michael YL, Berkman LF, Colditz GA, Holmes MD, Kawachi I: Social networks and health related quality of life in breast cancer survivors: A prospective study. J Psychosomatic Res. 2002, 52: 285-293. 10.1016/S0022-3999(01)00270-7.
Olsson AM, Svensson JH, Sundstrom J, Bergstrom S, Edekling T, Carlsson G, Hansen J, Sevnsson B, Albertsson M: Erythropoietin treatment in metastatic breast cancer: effects on Hb, quality of life and need for transfusion. Acta Oncol. 2002, 41: 517-524. 10.1080/02841860214960.
O'Shaughnessy JA: Effects of epoetin alfa on cognitive function, mood, asthenia, and quality of life in women with breast cancer undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy. Clin Breast Cancer. 2002, 3 (Suppl 3): S116-S120. 10.3816/CBC.2002.s.022.
Graves KD, Carter CL, Anderson ES, Winett RA: Quality of life pilot intervention for breast cancer patients: use of social cognitive theory. Palliative Supportive Care. 2003, 1: 121-134.
Courneya KS, Mackey JR, Bell GJ, Jones LW, Field CJ, Fairey AS: Randomized controlled trial of exercise training in postmenopausal breast cancer survivors: cardiopulmonary and quality of life outcomes. J Clin Oncol. 2003, 21: 1660-1668. 10.1200/JCO.2003.04.093.
Turner J, Hayes S, Reul-Hirche H: Improving the physical status and quality of life of women treated for breast cancer: a pilot study of a structured exercise intervention. J Surg Oncol. 2004, 86: 141-146. 10.1002/jso.20065.
Headley JA, Ownby KK, John LD: The effect of seated exercise on fatigue and quality of life in women with advanced breast cancer. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2004, 31: 977-983. 10.1188/04.ONF.977-983.
Weinfurt KP, Castel LD, Li Y, Timbie JW, Glendenning GA, Schulman KA: Health-related quality of life among patients with breast cancer receiving zoledronic asid or pamidornate disodium for metastatic bone lesion. Med Care. 2004, 42: 164-175. 10.1097/01.mlr.0000108746.69256.45.
Diel IJ, Body JJ, Lichinitser MR, Kreuser ED, Dornoff W, Gorbunova VA, Budde M, Bergstrom B: Improved quality of life after long-term treatment with bisphosphonate ibandronate in patients with metastatic bone disease due to breast cancer. Eur J Cancer. 2004, 40: 1704-1712. 10.1016/j.ejca.2004.03.025.
Body JJ, Diel IJ, Bell R, Pecherstorfer M, Lichinitser MR, Lazarev AF, Tripathy D, Bergstrom B: Oral ibandronate improves bone pain and preserves quality of life in patients with skeletal metastases due to breast cancer. Pain. 2004, 111: 306-312. 10.1016/j.pain.2004.07.011.
Wardley A, Davidson N, Barrett-Lee P, Hong A, Mansi J, Dodwell D, Murphy R, Mason T, Cameron D: Zoledronic acid significantly improves pain scores and quality of life in breast cancer patients with bone metastases: a randomized, crossover study of community vs hospital bisphosphonate administration. Br J Cancer. 2005, 92: 1869-1876. 10.1038/sj.bjc.6602551.
Yoo HJ, Ahn SH, Kim SB, Kim WK, Han OS: Efficacy of progressive muscle relaxation training and guided imagery in reducing chemotherapy side effects in patients with breast cancer and in improving their quality of life. Support Care Cancer. 2005, 13: 826-833. 10.1007/s00520-005-0806-7.
Manning-Walsh J: Social support as a mediator between symptom distress and quality of life in women with breast cancer. J Obstetric, Gyneocologic Neonatal Nurs. 2005, 34: 482-493. 10.1177/0884217505278310.
Gordon LG, Battistutta D, Scuffham P, Tweeddale M, Newman B: The impact of rehabilitation support services on health-related quality of life for women with breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2005, 93: 217-226. 10.1007/s10549-005-5151-5.
Kendall AR, Mahue-Giangreco M, Carpenter CL, Ganz PA, Bernstein L: Influence of exercise activity on quality of life in long term breast cancer survivors. Qual Life Res. 2005, 14: 361-371. 10.1007/s11136-004-1468-5.
Chang J, Couture F, Young S, McWatters K, Lau CY: Weekly epoetin alfa maintains hemoglobin, improves quality of life, and reduces transfusion in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. J Clin Oncol. 2005, 23: 2597-25605. 10.1200/JCO.2004.12.027.
Hudis CA, Vogel CL, Gralow JR, Williams D: Weekly epoetin alfa during adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer: effect on hemoglobin levels and quality of life. Clin Breast Cancer. 2005, 6: 132-142. 10.3816/CBC.2005.n.015.
Badger T, Segrin C, Meek P, Lopez AM, Bonham E, Sieger A: Telephone interpersonal counseling with women with breast cancer: symptom management and quality of life. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2005, 32: 273-279. 10.1188/05.ONF.273-279.
Cheema BSB, Gaul CA: Full-body exercise training improves fitness and quality of life in survivors of breast cancer. J Strenght Condition Res. 2006, 20: 14-21. 10.1519/R-17335.1.
Sutton LB, Erlen JA: Effects of mutual dyad support on quality of life in women with breast cancer. Cancer Nurs. 2006, 29: 488-498. 10.1097/00002820-200611000-00010.
Round T, Hayes SC, Newman B: How do recovery advice and behavioral characteristics influence upper-body function and quality of life among women 6 months after breast cancer diagnosis?. Support Care Cancer. 2006, 14: 22-29. 10.1007/s00520-005-0838-z.
Giese-Davis J, Bliss-Isberg C, Carson K, Star P, Donaghy J, Cordova MJ, Stevens N, Wittenberg L, Batten C, Spiegel D: The effect of peer counseling on quality of life following diagnosis of breast cancer: an observational study. Psycho-Oncol. 2006, 15: 1014-1022. 10.1002/pon.1037.
Moadel AB, Shah C, Wylie-Rosett J, Harris MS, Patel SR, Hall CB, Sparano JA: Randomized controlled trial of yoga among a multiethnic sample of breast cancer patients: effects on quality of life. J Clin Oncol. 2007, 25: 4387-4395. 10.1200/JCO.2006.06.6027.
Hartmann U, Muche R, Reuss-Borst M: Effects of a step-by-step inpatient rehabilitation programme on quality of life in breast cancer patients. A prospective randomized study. Onkologie. 2007, 30: 177-182. 10.1159/000099989.
Kim SJ, Yi CH, Kwon OY: Effect of complex decongestive therapy on edema and the quality of life in breast cancer patients with unilateral leymphedema. Lymphology. 2007, 40: 143-151.
Hann DM, Jacobson P, Martin S, et al: Fatigue and quality of life following radiotherapy for breast cancer: a comparative study. J Clin Psychol Med S. 1998, 5: 19-33. 10.1023/A:1026249702250.
Carpenter JS, Andrykowski MA, Cordova M, Cunningham L, Studts J, McGrath P, Kenady D, Sloan D, Munn R: Hot flashes in postmenopausal women treated for breast carcinoma: prevalence, severity, correlates, management, and relation to quality of life. Cancer. 1998, 82: 1682-1691. 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0142(19980501)82:9<1682::AID-CNCR14>3.0.CO;2-0.
Hann DM, Garovoy N, Finkelstein B, Jacobsen PB, Azzarello LM, Fields KK: Fatigue and quality of life in breast cancer patients undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation: a longitudinal comparative study. J Pain Symptom Manage. 1999, 17: 313-319. 10.1016/S0885-3924(99)00007-X.
Velanovich V, Szymanski W: Quality of life of breast cancer patients with lymphedema: high-dose versus standard-dose chemotherapy. Am J Surg. 1999, 177: 184-187. 10.1016/S0002-9610(99)00008-2.
Bower JE, Ganz PA, Desmond KA, Rowland JH, Meyetowitz BE, Belin TR: Fatigue in breast cancer survivors: occurrence, correlates, and impact on quality of life. J Clin Oncol. 2000, 18: 743-753.
Kuehn T, Klauss W, Darsow M, Regele S, Flock F, Maiterth C, Dahlbender R, Wendt I, Kreienberg R: Long term morbidity following axillary dissection in breast cancer patients: clinical assessment, significance for life quality and the impact of demographic, oncologic and therapeutic factors. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2000, 64: 275-286. 10.1023/A:1026564723698.
Stein KD, Jacobsen PB, Hann DM, Greenberg H, Lyman G: Impact of hot flashes on quality of life among postmenopausal women being treated for breast cancer. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2000, 19: 436-445. 10.1016/S0885-3924(00)00142-1.
Beaulac SM, McNair LA, Scott TE, et al: Lymphedema and quality of life in survivors of early-stage breast cancer. Arch Surg. 2002, 137: 1253-1257. 10.1001/archsurg.137.11.1253.
Kwan W, Jackson J, Weir LM, Dingee C, McGregor G, Olivotto IA: Chronic arm morbidity after curative breast cancer treatment: prevalence and impact on quality of life. J Clin Oncol. 2002, 20: 4242-4248. 10.1200/JCO.2002.09.018.
Fortner BV, Stepanski EJ, Wang SC, Kasprowicz S, Durrence H: Sleep and quality of life in breast cancer patients. J Pain Symptom Manag. 2002, 24: 471-480. 10.1016/S0885-3924(02)00500-6.
Engel J, Kerr J, Schlesinger-Raab A, Sauer H, Holzel D: Axilla surgery severely affect quality of life: results of a 5-year prospective study in breast cancer patients. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2003, 79: 47-57. 10.1023/A:1023330206021.
Caffo O, Amichetti M, Ferro A, Lucenti A, Valduga F, Galligioni E: Pain and quality of life after surgery for breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2003, 80: 39-48. 10.1023/A:1024435101619.
Rietman J, Dijkstra P, Debreczeni R, Geertzen J, Robinson D, de Vries J: Impairments, disabilities and health related quality of life after treatment of breast cancer: a follow-up study 2.7 years after surgery. Disabil Rehabil. 2004, 26: 78-84. 10.1080/09638280310001629642.
Schults PN, Klein MJ, Beck ML, Stava C, Sellin RV: Breast cancer: relationship between menopausal symptoms, physiologic health effects of cancer treatment and physical constraints on quality of life in long-term survivors. J Clin Nurs. 2005, 14: 204-211. 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2004.01030.x.
Ridner SH: Quality of life and a symptom cluster associated with breast cancer treatment-related lymph edema. Support Care Cancer. 2005, 13: 904-911. 10.1007/s00520-005-0810-y.
Conde DM, Pinto-Neto AM, Cabello C, Santos-Sa D, Costa-Paiva L, Martinze EZ: Menopause symptoms and quality of life in women aged 45 to 65 years with and without breast cancer. Menopause. 2005, 12: 436-443. 10.1097/01.GME.0000151655.10243.48.
Burckhardt CS, Carol S, Jones KD: Effects of chronic widespread pain on the health status and quality of life of women after breast cancer surgery. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2005, 3: 30-10.1186/1477-7525-3-30.
Mills PJ, Parker B, Dimsdale JE, Sadler GR, Ancoli-Israel S: The relationship between fatigue and quality of life and inflammation during anthracycline-based chemotherapy in breast cancer. Biol Psychol. 2005, 69: 85-96. 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2004.11.007.
Massacesi C, Sabbatini E, Rocchi MB, Zepponi L, Rossini S, Pilone A, Burattini L, Pezzoli M: Effects of switching from tamoxifen to anastrozole on tamoxifen-related endocrine symptoms and quality of life. Am J Cancer. 2006, 5: 433-440. 10.2165/00024669-200605060-00009.
Land SR, Wickerham DL, Costantino JP, Ritter MW, Vogel VG, Lee MK, Pajon ER, Wade JLIII, Dakhil S, Lockhart JB, Wolmark N, Ganz PA: Patient reported symptoms and quality of life during treatment with tamoxifen or raloxifene for breast cancer prevention: the NSABP study of tamoxifen and raloxifene (STAR) P-2 trial. JAMA. 2006, 295: 2742-2751. 10.1001/jama.295.23.joc60075.
Heidrich SM, Egan JJ, Hengudomsub P, Randolph SM: Symptoms, symptom beliefs, and quality of life of older breast cancer survivors: a comparative study. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2006, 33: 315-22. 10.1188/06.ONF.315-322.
Gupta P, Sturdee DW, Pallin SL, Majumder K, Fear R, Marshall T, Paterson I: Menopausal symptoms in women treated for breast cancer; the prevalence and severity of symptoms and their perceived effects on quality of life. Climacteric. 2006, 9: 49-58. 10.1080/13697130500487224.
Byar KL, Berger AM, Bakken SL, Cetak MA: Impact of adjuvant breast cancer chemotherapy on fatigue, other symptoms and quality of life. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2006, 33: E18-E26. 10.1188/06.ONF.E18-E26.
Arndt V, Stegmaier C, Ziegler H, Brenner H: A population-based study of the impact of specific symptoms on quality of life in women with breast cancer 1 year after diagnosis. Cancer. 2006, 107: 2496-2503. 10.1002/cncr.22274.
Pyszel A, Malyszezak K, Pyszel K, Andrzejak R, Szuba A: Disability, psychological distress and quality of life in breast cancer survivors with arm lymphedema. Lymphology. 2006, 39: 185-192.
Dagnelie PC, Pijls-Johannesma MC, Lambin P, Beijer S, De Ruysscher D, Kempen GI: Impact of fatigue on overall quality of life in lung and breast cancer patients selected for high-dose radiotherapy. Ann Oncol. 2007, 18: 940-944. 10.1093/annonc/mdm057.
Janz NK, Mujahid M, Chung LK, Lantz PM, Hawley ST, Morrow M, Schwartz K, Katz SJ: Symptom experience and quality of life of women following breast cancer treatment. J Women's Health. 2007, 16: 1348-1361. 10.1089/jwh.2006.0255.
Knapp J: Sexual function as a quality of life issue: the impact of breast cancer treatment. J Gynecol Oncol Nurs. 1997, 7: 37-40.
Makar K, Cumming CE, Lees AW, Hundleby M, Nabholtz J, Kieren DK, Jenkins H, Wentzel C, Handman M, Cumming DC: Sexuality, body image, and quality of life after high dose or conventional chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer. Canadian J Human Sexuality. 1997, 6: 1-8.
Ganz PA, Rowland JH, Desmond K, Meyerowitz BE, Wyatt GE: Life after breast cancer: understanding women's health-related quality of life and sexual functioning. J Clin Oncol. 1998, 16: 501-514.
Marsden J, Baum M, A'Hern R, West A, Fallowfield L, Whitehead M, Sacks N: The impact of hormone replacement therapy on breast cancer patients' quality of life and sexuality: a pilot study. Br J Menopause Sco. 2001, 7: 85-87. 10.1258/136218001100321155.
Malinovszky KM, Gould A, Foster E, Cameron D, Humphreys A, Crown J, Leonard RC: Quality of life and sexual function after high-dose or conventional chemotherapy for high-risk breast cancer. Br J Cancer. 2006, 95: 1626-1631. 10.1038/sj.bjc.6603454.
Beckjord E, Campas BE: Sexual quality of life in women with newly diagnosed breast cancer. J Psychosoc Oncol. 2007, 25: 19-36. 10.1300/J077v25n02_02.
Spagnola S, Zabora J, BrintzenhofeSzoc K, Hooker C, Cohen G, Baker F: The Satisfaction with Life Domains Scale for Breast Cancer (SLDS-BC). Breast J. 2003, 9: 463-471. 10.1046/j.1524-4741.2003.09603.x.
Baxter NN, Goodwin PJ, Mcleod RS, Dion R, Devins G, Bombardier C: Reliability and validity of the Body Image After Breast Cancer Questionnaire. Breast J. 2006, 12: 221-232. 10.1111/j.1075-122X.2006.00246.x.
Atkins L, Fallowfield LJ: Fallowfield's Sexual Activity Questionnaire in women with without and at risk of cancer. Menopause Int. 2007, 13: 103-109. 10.1258/175404507781605578.
Cella D, Fallowfield LJ: Recognition and management of treatment-related side effects for breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant endocrine therapy. Breast Cancer Res Treat.
Avis NE, Crawford S, Manuel J: Quality of life among younger women with breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2005, 23: 3322-3330. 10.1200/JCO.2005.05.130.
Ganz PA, Goodwin PJ: Quality of life in breast cancer: what we have learned and where do we go from here?. Outcomes Assessment in Cancer: Measures, Methods, and Applications. Edited by: Lipscomb J, Gotay CC, Snyder C. 2005, Cambridge, United Kingdom, Cambridge University Press, 93-125.
Acknowledgements
The author wishes to thanks Dr. Elena Elkin, Dr. Lonneke van de Poll-Franse, and Dr. Su Wilson for their helpful comments on early version of the manuscript and also Mrs. T. Rostami for her secretarial assistance. This was a piece of pure academic research work and the author did not receive any financial support or grant for the study.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Competing interests
The author declares that they have no competing interests.
Authors' contributions
The author carried out this review and wrote the manuscript, and prepared all the tables and the additional file.
Electronic supplementary material
13046_2008_31_MOESM1_ESM.doc
Additional file 1: Quality of life in breast cancer patients. This is a chronological list of all papers that were published since 1974 to the end of year 2007 in the English biomedical journals. The list is organized for each year and only contains papers that used the word quality of life and breast cancer or breast carcinoma in their titles. The papers are sorted alphabetically. (DOC 224 KB)
Rights and permissions
This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
About this article
Cite this article
Montazeri, A. Health-related quality of life in breast cancer patients: A bibliographic review of the literature from 1974 to 2007. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 27, 32 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-9966-27-32
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-9966-27-32