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Quality of Life in Women with Localised Breast Cancer or Malignant Melanoma 2 Years After Initial Treatment: a Comparison

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Abstract

Background

Two thirds of female breast cancer patients and more than 80 % of malignant melanoma patients are diagnosed with localised disease and good prognosis with a 5-year relative survival of more than 90 % in Germany.

Purpose

This study was conducted to present quality of life (QoL) data from a German population-based cohort of female breast cancer and melanoma patients without recurrence for approximately 2 years after initial diagnosis.

Methods

In 2003–2004, patients with localised breast cancer and melanoma were recruited from the Munich Cancer Registry (Upper Bavaria, Germany) to answer QoL questionnaires. Differences between breast cancer and melanoma patients were investigated with regard to age and aspects of communication with their medical caregivers.

Results

One thousand three hundred and four breast cancer and 348 melanoma patients were included. Breast cancer patients were about 7 years older and had significantly lower QoL and higher symptom scores than melanoma patients. Communication needs were generally similar in both groups; however, breast cancer patients experienced more empathy from their medical caregivers. In breast cancer patients, communication was an independent factor for all QoL functioning scores.

Conclusions

Even when faced with a similarly good prognosis, breast cancer patients have a worse QoL than melanoma patients 2 years after diagnosis. An explanation may be more distinctive surgery and systemic therapy, older patients with comorbidities and misunderstood risk communication in breast cancer patients that may stoke anxiety and fears. Further reasons could be unceasing public discussion about breast cancer and its instrumentalisation for political purposes.

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Acknowledgments

We especially thank all of the patients who completed questionnaires. The authors also thank all colleagues at the MCR for processing the data and doing an amazing team work. In addition, we are indebted to all hospitals that participated in patient recruitment. We especially thank all of the following departments that participated in this study and in the documentation of the medical data:

Klinikum der LMU, Großhadern und Innenstadt, Kliniken und Polikliniken für Frauenheilkunde und Geburtshilfe (Prof. Dr. K. Friese).

Klinikum der TU München, Frauenklinik und Poliklinik (Prof. Dr. M. Kiechle).

Rotkreuzklinikum München, I. Gynäkologische Abteilung (Prof. Dr. W. Eiermann).

Rotkreuzklinikum München, II. Gynäkologische Abteilung (CA Dr. N. von Obernitz)

Klinikum Harlaching, Frauenklinik (Prof. Dr. D. Grab)

Klinikum Neuperlach, Frauenklinik (CA Dr. F. C. Spickhoff)

Klinikum Schwabing, Frauenklinik (CA Dr. O. Neumann)

Klinikum München Pasing, Frauenklinik (Prof. Dr. G. Debus)

Klinikum Dritter Orden München, Klinik für Gynäkologie und Geburtshilfe (CA Dr. F. von Buquoy)

Frauenklinik Dr.Geisenhofer, Gynäkologie (CA Dr. M. Ohnolz)

Kreisklinik Ebersberg, Gynäkologie und Geburtshilfe (Prof. Dr. C. Höß)

Klinikum Starnberg, Frauenklinik (Prof. Dr. C. Anthuber)

Kreiskrankenhaus Erding, Gynäkologie (CA Dr. M. Krauth)

Klinikum Fürstenfeldbruck, Frauenklinik (CA Dr. M. Schwörer)

Gynäkologische Gemeinschaftspraxis Dres. F. Staufer/J. deWaal/M. Pankratz-Hauer/B. Baier, Dachau

Praxis für Frauengesundheit Dr. M. Kolben, Gräfelfing

Gynäkologische Praxis Dr.W. Alberti, München

Gynäkologische Praxis und Tagesklinik Dres. R. Deckardt/M. Saks, München

Gynäkologische Praxis Dres. U. Hamann/C. Link, München

Gynäkologische Praxis Dres. J. Kowolik/A. Prechtl/D. Sattler, München

Gynäkologische Praxis Dr. R. Leibiger, München

Gynäkologische Praxis Dres. I. Lohmann/M. Desaler/M. Diep, Dachau

Klinikum der LMU, Großhadern, Chirurgische Klinik und Poliklinik (Prof. Dr. K.-W. Jauch)

Klinikum der LMU, Innenstadt, Chirurgische Klinik und Poliklinik (Prof. Dr. W. Mutschler)

Klinikum Dritter Orden München, Klinik für Allgemein-,Viszeral-,Gefäß- und Thoraxchirurgie (CA Dr. E. Pütterich)

Klinikum Dritter Orden München, Fachbereich für Plasische und Ästhetische Chirurgie (Prof. Dr. C. Gabka)

Maria-Theresia-Klinik, I. Chirurgische Abteilung (Prof. Dr. T. Hoffmann)

Chirurgische Klinik Dr. Rinecker München (Dr. J. Heiß)

Chirurgische Klinik Seefeld (CA Dr. N. Hermes)

Klinikum der LMU, Klinik und Poliklinik für Dermatologie und Allergologie (Prof. Dr. T. Ruzicka)

Klinikum der TU, Klinik und Poliklinik für Dermatologie und Allergologie am Biederstein (Prof. Dr. J. Ring)

Klinikum Schwabing, Klinik für Dermatologie, Allergologie und Umweltmedizin (Prof. Dr. W. Stolz)

Conflict of Interest

The authors have no financial interest in this manuscript and no affiliations (relationships) to disclose.

Funding and Role of the Funding Source

The Munich Cancer Registry at the Department of Medical Informatics, Biometry und Epidemiology, is part of the Munich Cancer Centre, an Institution of the Medical Faculties of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University and the Technical University Munich. Additional funding is given by the Bavarian Ministry of Health. Especially this study was initially funded by the Wilhelm Sander Foundation. The sponsors had no role in the design and conduct of the study; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data or in the preparation, review or approval of the manuscript.

Ethical Approval

The quality of life assessment was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Medical Faculty of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich before beginning.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Munich Cancer Registry (MCR) of the Munich Cancer Centre (MCC) at the Department of Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology (IBE), Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), Munich, Germany

    Jutta Engel, Anne Schlesinger-Raab, Rebecca Emeny, Dieter Hölzel & Gabriele Schubert-Fritschle

  2. Tumorregister München, Klinikum Großhadern, Marchioninistr.15, 81377, Munich, Germany

    Anne Schlesinger-Raab

Authors
  1. Jutta Engel
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  2. Anne Schlesinger-Raab
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  4. Dieter Hölzel
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  5. Gabriele Schubert-Fritschle
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anne Schlesinger-Raab.

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Engel, J., Schlesinger-Raab, A., Emeny, R. et al. Quality of Life in Women with Localised Breast Cancer or Malignant Melanoma 2 Years After Initial Treatment: a Comparison. Int.J. Behav. Med. 21, 478–486 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-013-9334-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-013-9334-x

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