Effect of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy on quality of life in women undergoing surgery for breast cancer: A prospective study.

Abstract

9566 Background: There has been a marked increase in the use of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) for women with unilateral breast cancer. Previous studies on quality of life (QoL) measures for women who have undergone CPM are mixed. Most surveys were conducted only post-operatively. This analysis reports QoL changes within the same patient before and after surgery, using a validated tool. Methods: This study includes women who were prospectively enrolled in the University of Iowa Breast Molecular Epidemiologic Resource. We included all women who had mastectomy on the affected side. Patients completed a validated QoL survey (FACT-B) which covered: overall QoL and additional cancer-specific concerns. Responses followed a five-point scale. Surveys must have been completed any time before surgery and 6-18 months after surgery. A Fixed Effects linear regression model was used to discern within-person changes in QoL measures before and after surgery. Analysis was stratified by unilateral mastectomy (...