HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN EARLY BREAST CANCER PATIENTS WITH HORMONE RESPONSIVE

Abstract

Objective: The management of early breast cancer (EBC) is performed with a series of treatments consisting of surgery and systemic therapy, along with long-term endocrine therapy for hormone responsive. The treatment generates a high illness effect that will affect the life quality of EBC patients. The objective of this study was to measure EBC patients’ quality of life after undergoing the treatment.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted by interviewing EBC patients using EQ-5D-5L instrument at private hospitals in Yogyakarta and Semarang, Indonesia. The EBC patients were women aged 18-60 y who had undergone surgery in 2010-2013 and received endocrine therapy.Results: Of the 71 patients identified, 45 patients were in disease-free survival (DFS) state, 8 patients were in locoregional recurrence (LR), and 18 patients were in metastasis (M) state. Mobility and self-care problems occurred in patients who had metastasis (4.23%). The problem of usual activities occured in patients who had recurrence (22.54%). Most of the patients (84.51%) had pain problem, and all patients had an anxiety problem. The mean utility score (SD) in DFS patients was 0.841 (0.052), in LR patients was 0.758 (0.092), and in patients who had metastasis was 0.653 (0.104). The mean scores of EQ-5D VAS (SD) for EBC patients in DFS, LR and M health state were 86.56 (6.29), 81.88 (5.30), and 69.17 (5.75), respectively.Conclusion: The health states of EBC significantly affect HRQOL of patients. Efforts should be made to improve the quality of life of EBC patients especially in terms of pain and anxiety reduction.