Quality of Life Among Women Treated for Breast Cancer: A Survey of Three Procedures in Mexico

This study aimed to determine the quality of life among patients treated with one of three different types of surgery for breast cancer.

This cross-sectional study used a questionnaire survey completed by Mexican patients without active disease 1 year after breast cancer surgery.

The 139 patients enrolled in the study included 44 (31.6 %) who had undergone mastectomy with reconstruction, 41 (29.5 %) who had undergone a quadrantectomy, and 54 (38.9 %) who had undergone radical mastectomy without reconstruction. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire, core version 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and EORTC Breast Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (QLQ-BR23) questionnaires were used. These instruments had a reliability greater than 0.82. Global health status (94.30 ± 12.04; p = 0.028) and role functioning (85.16 ± 17.23; p = 0.138) were highest in the quadrantectomy group. The pain score was highest in the group that had received mastectomy with reconstruction (26.13 ± 30.15; p = 0.042). The breast symptom score (22.56 ± 22.30; p = 0.009) and body image perception (85.56 ± 19.72; p = 0.025) were highest in the group that had conservative treatment. The overall health of the patients who had undergone mastectomy without reconstruction was lower (72.61 ± 20.89; p = 0.014) among the women older than 50 years than among the younger women.

The quadrantectomy procedure had better acceptance, but the overall health status did not differ between the groups. The overall health status was lower among the women older than 50 years who had received a mastectomy without reconstruction.

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