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Global quality of life and its potential predictors in breast cancer patients: an exploratory study

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Abstract

Goals of work

This study reflects variables being depicted as predictors of global quality of life in current research. The evaluation was conducted at the Division of Clinical Oncology at the Medical University in Graz, Austria.

Patients and methods

A sample of 210 breast cancer patients between ages 30 and 80 years was assessed 1−5 years after initial diagnosis in a tumor-free stage. Besides the socio-demographic and medical variables, the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), Impact of Event Scale (IES), Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC), and the Perceived Family Support (PFS) were used. To identify variables related to quality of life, stepwise multiple regression analyses were calculated.

Main results

In a regression analysis, the general severity index (BSI) was identified as the most important and helplessness/hopelessness (MAC) as the second important variable related to QoL. Including the BSI-subscales as predictors, the depression-subscale (BSI) explained 25% of the variance; in addition, somatization (BSI), helplessness/hopelessness (MAC), and having financial problems (semi-structured interview) were significantly related to global quality of life, but the medical variables showed no associations to the measured quality of life. Depression itself is associated with negative the impact of cancer, the number of stressful life events, being uncomfortable with the body, having financial problems and anxious preoccupation (MAC).

Conclusions

The awareness of the role of multi-factorial and associated variables could provide patients, family, and medical staff with appropriate and adequate tools to treat specific symptoms.

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Acknowledgements

We express our gratitude to all the patients for their willingness to participate in our investigation. We are especially grateful to Prof. Dr. Lea Baider, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem for the support and the helpful comments on the earlier versions of the paper. The study was supported by the Verein für Krebskranke der Klinischen Abteilung für Onkologie Graz (Society for Cancer Patients of the Clinical Division of Oncology Graz) and by a grant of the Jubiläumsfonds der Österreichischen Nationalbank (Project no: 9038).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Clinical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 15, 8036, Graz, Austria

    Elisabeth Andritsch, Gabriele Dietmaier, Günter Hofmann, Silke Zloklikovits & Hellmut Samonigg

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  1. Elisabeth Andritsch
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  2. Gabriele Dietmaier
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  3. Günter Hofmann
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Correspondence to Elisabeth Andritsch.

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Andritsch, E., Dietmaier, G., Hofmann, G. et al. Global quality of life and its potential predictors in breast cancer patients: an exploratory study. Support Care Cancer 15, 21–30 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-006-0089-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-006-0089-7

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