Objective: To measure quality of life in breast cancer patients.
Method: Using the EORTC quality of life questionnaire (QLQ-C30) and it’s complementary Breast Cancer instrument (QLQ-BR23). Data were collected during one complete calendar year with the intention of interviewing all new breast cancer patients attending the breast clinic of a large and medical center in Tehran, Iran. Any patient with a suspected diagnosis of breast cancer was identified by the specialist consultants and was interviewed before the diagnosis was made. Follow-up assessment was carried out three months after completion of the patient’s initial treatment. All patients who were diagnosed as having conditions other than breast cancer treated as control and included in the analysis. The comparison was made between cases and control both at pre-diagnosis and at there months follow-up assessments.
Results: In total 316 suspected patients were interviewed. Of these, 168 patients diagnosed as having breast cancer. Comparing quality of life in breast cancer cases before and after diagnosis there were significant deterioration in quality of life in breast cancer patients.
Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that the issue of deterioration in quality of life in breast cancer patients is not a subjective impression of patients but rather a clinical reality. To improve quality of life in breast cancer patients underlying factors that contribute substantially to such quality should be recognized and assessed.