Quality of Life and Its Contributing Factors among Breast Cancer Patients after Intensive Treatment

Abstract

Objective: The survey aims to explore the quality of life and its contributing factors among breast cancer patients who had been treated at the hospital and returned for follow-up care and/or for taking hormonal therapy. Methods: This cross-sectional study deployed questionnaire-based interviews with 115 patients when they came to the hospital for follow-up care and/or taking hormonal therapy at the Oncology Center of Hue Central Hospital (Vietnam) from April to May 2019. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS software 21 for Windows. Results: The mean age of our study was 53.2 years. Among the total respondents, 88.7% of patients had hormone receptorpositive breast cancer. Most respondents reported experiencing symptoms that decreased their health-related quality of life, such as dry mouth, appetite changes, fatigue, arm pain, and limited mobility in ipsilateral arm. The majority felt insecure because of their asymmetric and less good-looking post-mastectomy body image. Most of them were no longer interested in sexual activities. A large number of respondents turned to complementary therapies at home, which often incurred considerable costs. Conclusion: This survey contributes to the understanding of patients’ suffering symptoms, their concerns and anxiety, and distress during outpatient care/ clinic. It also provides baseline information on their thoughts and preferences for complementary therapies. Altogether the study carries important implications for clinicians to plan more effective treatment and care for breast cancer patients.