Faculty Collaboration Database

Improved long-term patient-reported health and well-being outcomes of early-stage breast cancer treated with partial breast proton therapy. Cancer Med 2018 Dec;7(12):6064-6076

Date

11/20/2018

Pubmed ID

30453388

Pubmed Central ID

PMC6308094

DOI

10.1002/cam4.1881

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85056772301 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   11 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Because early-stage breast cancer can be treated successfully by a variety of breast-conservation approaches, long-term quality of life (QoL) is an important consideration in assessing treatment outcomes for these patients. This study compares patient-reported QoL outcomes among women with stage 0-2 disease treated via lumpectomy followed by whole breast irradiation (WBI) or partial breast proton irradiation (PBPT).

METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 129 participants evaluated QoL several years post-treatment by responding to subjective instruments, including established scalar questionnaires and self-report measures. Responses were averaged between the two groups.

RESULTS: At 6.5 years (median) postdiagnosis, participants' demographic, and clinical characteristics were similar. Patient-reported outcomes were reported as mean scale scores for the two groups, all displaying significant differences favoring PBPT, including: cosmetic breast cancer treatment outcome scale (BCTOS) (PBPT mean 1.45, WBI mean 1.88, P < 0.001); breast pain (PBPT mean 1.30, WBI mean 1.67, P < 0.05); breast texture (BPT mean 1.44, WBI mean 1.91, P < 0.001); clothing fit (PBPT mean 1.06, WBI 1.46, P < 0.001); fatigue (PBPT mean 2.24, WBI mean 3.77, P < 0.002); impact of daily life fatigue on personal relations (OBPT mean 0.83, WBI mean 2.15, P < 0.001); and self-consciousness (appearance dissatisfaction) (PBPT mean 1.38, WBI mean 1.77, P < 0.004).

CONCLUSION: Patients' responses suggest that PBPT is associated with improved overall QoL compared to standard whole breast treatment. These self-perceptions are reported by patients who are 5-10 years post-treatment, and that PBPT may enhance QoL in a multitude of interrelated ways.

Author List

Teichman SL, Do S, Lum S, Teichman TS, Preston W, Cochran SE, Garberoglio CA, Grove R, Davis CA, Slater JD, Bush DA

Author

Carley Davis MD Professor in the Urologic Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Breast Neoplasms
Female
Humans
Mastectomy, Segmental
Middle Aged
Neoplasm Staging
Patient Reported Outcome Measures
Patient Satisfaction
Proton Therapy
Quality of Life
Treatment Outcome