Comparison of younger and older breast cancer survivors and age-matched controls on specific and overall quality of life domains
Menées aux Etats-Unis auprès de 1 127 cas et 1 127 témoins, ces études analysent, en fonction de l'âge au diagnostic (avant 45 ans, ou entre 55 et 70 ans), la qualité de vie chez des patientes ayant survécu à un cancer du sein
BACKGROUND Younger survivors (YS) of breast cancer often report more survivorship symptoms such as fatigue, depression, sexual difficulty, and cognitive problems than older survivors (OS). This study sought to determine the effect of breast cancer and age at diagnosis on quality of life (QoL) by comparing 3 groups: 1) YS diagnosed at age 45 years or before, 2) OS diagnosed between 55 and 70, and 3) for the YSs, age-matched controls (AC) of women not diagnosed with breast cancer.
METHODS Using a large Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) database, 505 YS were recruited who were aged 45 years or younger when diagnosed and 622 OS diagnosed at 55 to 70 years of age. YS, OS, and AC were compared on physical, psychological, social, spiritual, and overall QoL variables.
RESULTS Compared to both AC and to OS, YS reported more depressive symptoms (P = .005) and fatigue (P < .001), poorer self-reported attention function (P < .001), and poorer sexual function (P < .001) than either comparison group. However, YS also reported a greater sense of personal growth (P < .001) and perceived less social constraint (P < .001) from their partner than AC.
Cancer , résumé, 2013