Compared with Noncancer Controls, Breast Cancer Survivors Reported More Problems with Cognition, Sexual Function, Fatigue, and Anxiety

There is limited high-quality evidence on quality of life, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in patients with breast cancer. Carreira and colleagues compared patient-reported outcomes between breast cancer survivors and women with no history of breast cancer with the goal of evaluating the impact of anxiety and depression on this patient population.

From a United Kingdom population-based, primary care, electronic health record database, breast cancer survivors and women with no prior cancer were chosen for the study. Using validated instruments that were sent via a postal questionnaire, outcomes were assessed. Associations between breast cancer survivorship and outcomes were estimated.

In the study, a total of 356 breast cancer survivors (on average, 8.1 years postdiagnosis) and 252 women with no prior cancer were included in the analysis. Breast cancer survivors had poorer quality of life in the domains of cognitive problems (P = .01), fatigue (P = .01), and sexual function (P = .02) when compared with noncancer controls; however, there was no significant difference detected in negative feelings, pain, positive feelings, or social avoidance. While there was no difference in depression, breast cancer survivors had higher odds of borderline-probable anxiety. Poorer quality of life was associated with advanced stage at diagnosis and chemotherapy treatment.

Breast cancer survivors reported more problems with cognition, sexual function, fatigue, and anxiety, particularly in instances where their cancer was advanced and/or treated with chemotherapy when compared with women with no history of cancer.

The investigators concluded that especially in cases with more advanced disease and/or chemotherapy treatment, breast cancer survivors should be closely monitored and offered appropriate evidence-based treatment for fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, and sexual problems.

Source:

Carreira H, Williams R, Dempsey H, et al. Quality of life and mental health in breast cancer survivors compared with non-cancer controls: a study of patient-reported outcomes in the United Kingdom. J Cancer Surviv. 2021;15:564-575.