Evaluating Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Survivors
Author Information
Author(s): Avis Nancy E, Ip Edward, Foley Kristie Long
Primary Institution: Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Hypothesis
The Quality of Life in Adult Cancer Survivors scale (QLACS) is a valid measure for assessing health-related quality of life in long-term breast cancer survivors.
Conclusion
The QLACS may serve as a useful measure for assessing health-related quality of life among long-term breast cancer survivors.
Supporting Evidence
- The QLACS showed good test-retest reliability with correlations above 0.7.
- The Generic Summary Score correlated well with other generic HRQL measures.
- The QLACS demonstrated high responsiveness to life changes.
- Participants reported significant negative feelings compared to previous studies.
- The study included a follow-up of 94 breast cancer survivors from an original sample of 202.
Takeaway
This study looked at how breast cancer survivors feel about their quality of life many years after treatment, and found a new tool that helps measure it better.
Methodology
The study involved an 8-year follow-up of breast cancer survivors who completed surveys assessing various aspects of their quality of life.
Potential Biases
The response rate was 45.5%, and those lost to follow-up may differ in important ways from those who participated.
Limitations
The study sample was limited to well-educated, young, white female breast cancer survivors, which may not represent all cancer survivors.
Participant Demographics
Participants were primarily Caucasian women, aged 25 to 50 at diagnosis, with a mean age of 51 years at follow-up.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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