Quality of Life (QoL) in Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Adjuvant Hormonal Therapy

Impact of Low BMI and Nutritional Status on Quality of Life and Disease Outcome in Breast Cancer Patients: Insights From a Tertiary Cancer Center in India

This study investigates the impact of Body Mass Index (BMI) on Quality of Life (QoL) and treatment outcomes in breast cancer (BC) patients, particularly focusing on underweight individuals with compromised nutritional status. A nonrandomized prospective study comprising 121 newly diagnosed patients across various BMI categories utilized FACT-B & FACIT-Sp-12 questionnaires. Follow-ups occurred at baseline, during (3rd and 6th), and after (12th month) anthracycline-taxane chemotherapy, either sequentially or concomitantly. Patients with low BMI (<18.5 kg/m2; 53.7%) exhibited significantly poorer QoL, marked by compromised nutritional indicators (low MUAC and SFT). Repeated measures ANOVA identified significant correlations between BMI groups in functional, social, and emotional QoL aspects (p < 0.05), with no notable differences in other domains. A Chi-square (ꭓ2) test underscored a significant link between BMI and treatment response (p < 0.0001), showing higher rates of non-responders among underweight patients (p = 4.259e-14). The study advocates pretreatment consultation with a dietitian as standard care for Indian BC patients, offering complimentary nutritional support for improved QoL outcomes and treatment responses.

Perceived trajectory of psychological and physical states after breast cancer: An optimistic perception

BACKGROUND

In cancer research, studying the quality of life trajectory helps us understand the complaints but also the cognitive, physical, and emotional aspects that can evolve positively. Examining both the suffering and the improvements expressed by the patients facilitates their care and their recovery knowing that an optimistic perception of the future is important for adaptative functioning after cancer. Through retrospective, present and prospective measures, we sought to characterize the subjective trajectory perceived by women with breast cancer about their cognitive, emotional and physical states, as it relates to quality of life.

METHODS

Nine hundred ninety women survivors of breast cancer (after curative treatments) described, on the appropriate scales, their perceived cognitive, emotional and physical states over three periods of time: from past care (i.e., retrospective analysis) to the future (i.e., projective analysis), including the present period, as a function of their treatment (chemotherapy vs. no chemotherapy) and surgery (lumpectomy vs. mastectomy) using ANCOVA.

RESULTS

The 732 women who had received chemotherapy perceived the most significant consequences, regardless of the type of surgery (η²= .01). Moreover, all survivors expressed an optimistic perception of the change in their states in the anticipated future as a normative optimistic perception.

CONCLUSIONS

Results are discussed in terms of the benefits of specific and early interventions that enable patients to cope better with the disease and its treatments by taking into account their more or less optimistic perception of the future.