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Quality of life and experience of care in women with metastatic breast cancer: a cross-sectional survey

Quality of life and experience of care in women with metastatic breast cancer: a cross-sectional survey
Quality of life and experience of care in women with metastatic breast cancer: a cross-sectional survey
Context: Despite developments in the medical management of metastatic breast cancer, little is known about the quality of life (QoL) and experience of care in women with it.

Objectives: To explore QoL, experience of care, and support needs of women living with metastatic breast cancer in the U.K.

Methods: Questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study, undertaken in two U.K. cancer centers and online via the Breast Cancer Care website, assessing QoL and experience of care in 235 women with metastatic breast cancer.

Results: QoL was assessed using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy—Breast QoL measure. Overall, QoL was low (mean 89.0, standard deviation 21.8) for total score. Low scores were seen uniformly in physical, social, emotional, and functional well-being domains. Symptom burden was a significant problem, with over one-third of women (34%) reporting high levels of pain and other uncontrolled symptoms. In multiple regression analysis, social well-being was significantly better for older women (P < 0.001) but was lower in those with bone metastases only (P = 0.002). Functional well-being was significantly higher in women without children (P = 0.004). Satisfaction with experience of care was low and appeared to be predominantly in the hospital setting, with little evidence of involvement of general practitioners and palliative care services.

Conclusion: Despite improvements in treatment and survival of women with metastatic breast cancer, this group reports high symptom burden and dissatisfaction with elements of their care, indicating that alternative models of service delivery should be explored.
metastatic breast cancer, quality of life, experience of care, symptom burden
0885-3924
747-758
Reed, Elizabeth
72718a86-3a38-4f30-9808-cd6a17b0beb0
Simmonds, Peter
27d4c068-e352-4cbf-9899-771893788ade
Haviland, Joanne
f9f6f28e-cff0-4564-9127-3422a794f0bf
Corner, Jessica
eddc9d69-aa12-4de5-8ab0-b20a6b5765fa
Reed, Elizabeth
72718a86-3a38-4f30-9808-cd6a17b0beb0
Simmonds, Peter
27d4c068-e352-4cbf-9899-771893788ade
Haviland, Joanne
f9f6f28e-cff0-4564-9127-3422a794f0bf
Corner, Jessica
eddc9d69-aa12-4de5-8ab0-b20a6b5765fa

Reed, Elizabeth, Simmonds, Peter, Haviland, Joanne and Corner, Jessica (2012) Quality of life and experience of care in women with metastatic breast cancer: a cross-sectional survey. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 43 (4), 747-758. (doi:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2011.05.005). (PMID:22088804)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Context: Despite developments in the medical management of metastatic breast cancer, little is known about the quality of life (QoL) and experience of care in women with it.

Objectives: To explore QoL, experience of care, and support needs of women living with metastatic breast cancer in the U.K.

Methods: Questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study, undertaken in two U.K. cancer centers and online via the Breast Cancer Care website, assessing QoL and experience of care in 235 women with metastatic breast cancer.

Results: QoL was assessed using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy—Breast QoL measure. Overall, QoL was low (mean 89.0, standard deviation 21.8) for total score. Low scores were seen uniformly in physical, social, emotional, and functional well-being domains. Symptom burden was a significant problem, with over one-third of women (34%) reporting high levels of pain and other uncontrolled symptoms. In multiple regression analysis, social well-being was significantly better for older women (P < 0.001) but was lower in those with bone metastases only (P = 0.002). Functional well-being was significantly higher in women without children (P = 0.004). Satisfaction with experience of care was low and appeared to be predominantly in the hospital setting, with little evidence of involvement of general practitioners and palliative care services.

Conclusion: Despite improvements in treatment and survival of women with metastatic breast cancer, this group reports high symptom burden and dissatisfaction with elements of their care, indicating that alternative models of service delivery should be explored.

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More information

e-pub ahead of print date: 16 November 2011
Published date: April 2012
Keywords: metastatic breast cancer, quality of life, experience of care, symptom burden
Organisations: Faculty of Health Sciences

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 340702
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/340702
ISSN: 0885-3924
PURE UUID: 06381662-4b39-4f3c-95b7-49933dcc5cf0

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Date deposited: 29 Jun 2012 12:03
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 11:29

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Contributors

Author: Elizabeth Reed
Author: Peter Simmonds
Author: Joanne Haviland
Author: Jessica Corner

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