Life In Breast Cancer Patients Research Articles

Adherence to fertility preservation guidelines in young patients with breast cancer: A retrospective analysis.

e23255 Background: Breast cancer affects a considerable proportion of women of childbearing age making it important to provide options for fertility preservation. At Chihuahua's State Cancer Center, a state-federal-funded institution providing free oncological care, and ensuring access to fertility preservation measures is integral to the multidisciplinary approach for young cancer survivors. Recognizing chemotherapy's impact on fertility, implementing fertility preservation measures is key. Assessing adherence to these guidelines is essential for comprehensive care and holistic well-being in young breast cancer patients at our center. Methods: In this retrospective study at the Chihuahua´s State Cancer Center, we examined adherence to fertility preservation guidelines among breast cancer patients aged 18 to 40 years. The primary method used for fertility preservation was the administration of GnRH analogs, such as triptorelin and goserelin. Data on GnRH analog use, chemotherapy regimens, and patient demographics were collected from medical records. The study aimed to assess the integration of fertility preservation measures, particularly GnRH analogs, into treatment plans for young breast cancer patients. Additionally, we aimed to identify barriers to accessing fertility preservation services in this population. Results: The study findings revealed that out of the 749 registered breast cancer patients, 95 (12.6%) were 40 years old or younger. Among these, 75 (79%) received adjuvant and/or neoadjuvant chemotherapy, with 58 (77.3%) being in locally advanced clinical stages. Of the 75 patients who underwent chemotherapy, 20 (26.7%) also received GnRH analogs, while 55 (73.3%) did not. Among the 75 chemotherapy recipients, 16 (p = 0.046) were estrogen receptor-positive and received analogs. Furthermore, out of the 20 patients with triple-negative breast cancer, only 1 (1.3%) received an analog. Conclusions: The study indicates that GnRH analogs usage in breast cancer patients is significantly associated with estrogen receptor positivity. While estrogen receptor status is crucial for determining treatment suitability, GnRH analog utilization was notably low among triple-negative breast cancer patients. This suggests that triple-negative status alone should not preclude GnRH analog use. The findings underscore the need to raise awareness and improve adherence to ovarian suppression recommendations to enhance clinical outcomes and quality of life for breast cancer patients.

Mechanism study on fig exosome-like nanoparticles inhibiting the progression of bone metastasis in breast cancer.

e12562 Background: Breast cancer has overtaken lung cancer as the most common cancer worldwide. Breast cancer bone metastases can lead to death. How to inhibit the progression of bone metastasis of breast cancer is the key to improve the quality of life of breast cancer patients. In recent years, there have been increasing studies on the therapeutic significance of plant-derived extracellular vesicles (PDEVs), which play an important role in anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory. It is a new potential anti-tumor therapy. According to the Chinese medicine classics, figs have anti-cancer effect, but the main active ingredients are not clear yet. Methods: The exosomes were extracted by differential ultracentrifugation. The breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, 4T1, E0771) were treated with 0.1 ug/ml and 0.5 ug/ml fig exosome-like nanoparticles (FELNs) for 48 hours. The proliferation rate was measured by BrdU kit and verified by RT-qPCR. The total RNA from MDA-MB-231 cells treated by FELNs was sequenced to screen the differential genes. Key genes were differentially expressed in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells and further verified. Animal models of breast cancer in situ and bone metastasis were constructed in mice. FELNs were injected intraperitoneally twice a week, live imaging of small animals was performed on the 14th and 21st day to observe the tumor size and progression of breast cancer, and tibia samples were collected for Trap staining. The bone marrow macrophages of mice were extracted and treated by FELNs. The polarization was detected by RT-qPCR. After the removal of the proteins and nucleic acids in FELNs by protease, DNase and RNase, FELNs intervened in breast cancer cells and macrophages to determine the effective components of the FELNs. Results: After breast cancer cells were treated with FELNs, the proliferation rate was significantly decreased, especially MDA-MB-231 (from 70.3% to 17.7%) and MCF-7 (from 7.32% to 1.63%), and the RNA level of proliferation-related gene were significantly down-regulated. The key gene RN7SL1 was screened by sequencing. Overexpression of RN7SL1 significantly promoted the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells, while the level of proliferation-related gene RNA was significantly up-regulated. FELNs significantly inhibited the tumor size and bone metastasis of breast cancer, and the tibial osteolysis was significantly abated by the treatment of FELNs in tibial Trap staining. After the intervention of FELNs in mouse macrophages, the polarization of M1 macrophages was significantly promoted. The proliferation rate of breast cancer cells increased and the polarization of M1 macrophages disappeared by treatment with protein-free FELNs. Conclusions: The protein components in FELNs inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer cells through RN7SL1, thereby inhibiting the progression of breast cancer bone metastasis.

Combined Aerobic and Resistance Training Improves Body Composition, Alters Cardiometabolic Risk, and Ameliorates Cancer-Related Indicators in Breast Cancer Patients and Survivors with Overweight/Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Breast cancer survivors with obesity are at a high risk of cancer recurrence, comorbidity, and mortality. This review aims to systematically evaluate the effects of combined aerobic and resistance training (CART) on body composition, lipid homeostasis, inflammation, adipokines, cancer-related fatigue, sleep, and quality of life in breast cancer patients and survivors with overweight/obesity. An electronic search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, Cochrane, and Google Scholar databases from inception up to January 8, 2024. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) meeting the inclusion criteria were selected for the analysis. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess eligible studies, and the GRADE method to evaluate the quality of evidence. A random-effects model was used, and data were analyzed using mean (MD) and standardized mean differences (SMD) for continuous variables with 95% confidence intervals (CI). We assessed the data for risk of bias, heterogeneity, sensitivity, reporting bias, and quality of evidence. A total of 17 randomized controlled trials were included in the systematic review involving 1,148 female patients and survivors (mean age: 54.0 ± 3.4 years). The primary outcomes showed significant improvements in body mass index (SMD -0.57 kg/m2, p = 0.04), body fat (SMD -0.50%, p = 0.02), fat mass (SMD -0.63 kg, p = 0.04), hip circumference (MD -3.14 cm, p = 0.02), and fat-free mass (SMD 1.03 kg, p < 0.001). The secondary outcomes indicated significant increases in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (MD -0.05 mmol/L, p = 0.008), natural killer cells (SMD 0.42%, p = 0.04), reductions in triglycerides (MD -81.90 mg/dL, p < 0.01), total cholesterol (SMD -0.95 mmol/L, p < 0.01), tumor necrosis factor α (SMD -0.89 pg/mL, p = 0.03), and leptin (SMD -0.63 ng/mL, p = 0.03). Also, beneficial alterations were found in cancer-related fatigue (SMD -0.98, p = 0.03), sleep (SMD -1.17, p < 0.001), and quality of life (SMD 2.94, p = 0.02) scores. There was very low to low confidence in the estimated effect of most of the outcomes. The present findings reveal that CART could be considered an adjunct therapy in supporting the conventional clinical approach observed following exercise. However, further high-quality research is needed to evaluate whether CART would be a valuable intervention to lower aggressive pharmacologic use in breast cancer patients with overweight/obesity.

Perception of health-related quality of life of breast cancer patients at different periods of treatment: a scoping review

Perception of health-related quality of life of breast cancer patients at different periods of treatment: a scoping review

THE CONNECTION BETWEEN QUALITY AND SELF-ESTEEM IN PATIENTS WITH BREAST CANCER

Greater insight into patient's quality of life can help researchers and clinicianstouse quality of life as a measure fortreatment outcomes.Breast cancer is a stressful and causes extremely difficult physical, emotional and social challenges. In addition to concerns about whether breast cancer will metastaize and the impact of treatment side effects on daily life, breast cancer patients are more likely to experience depression than patients with other types of cancer. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and other forms of treatment can cause changes in a patient's physical apperance, leading to anxiety, pain, depression, and low self-esteem.Self-esteem is determined by positive or negative feelings as well assatisfaction and confidence in oneself. It also refers to the belief that one is capable of coping with life's challenges and is worthy of happiness. One study found that self-esteem is a key factor in the growth andreturn to normal life in breast cancer patients. Low self-esteem has been found to be strongly associated with depression and other psychological problems.The diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer encompasses a critical period in a woman's life duringwhich she suffers from anxiety ofthe cancer spreading to other parts of the body, uncertainty about the future, anxiety and depression, anger, frustration, pain, changes in self-image, fear of losing femininity and changed confidence. Advances in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, pathological differences between this disease and other chronic diseases, changes in self-esteem, the development of negative emotions, the experience of everyday problems at work and in interpersonal relationships, and the development of anxiety can lead to changes in the quality of life of patients with breast cancer.The objectiveof this studyis to explain the connection between the quality of life and self-esteem of breast cancer patients.Keywords: connection, quality of life, self-esteem, cancer, breast

Pengaruh Edukasi Self Management terhadap Kualitas Hidup Pasien Kanker Payudara

This study aims to identify the effectiveness of education or self-management programs on the quality of life of breast cancer patients. The method used was a systematic review using a systematic search through the Proquest, Science Direct, and EBSCOhost databases with articles that met the inclusion criteria with publications between 2014 and 2023 as well as an article search technique using the PRISMA scheme stages. The results of the research showed that the search results identified ten articles in which various self-management programs stated that self-management program education had a positive effect on the quality of life of breast cancer patients. The conclusion obtained is that the self-management program can be an effective intervention to improve the quality of life of breast cancer patients. Keywords:, Breast Cancer, Self Management, Quality of Life

Abstract PO2-11-04: Assessing quality of Life in breast cancer patients undergoing mHealth mobile monitoring: A descriptive Analysis

Abstract Background: Breast cancer (BC) can be associated with a significant symptom burden that can be related both to the disease and to administered therapies. In particular, protocol related toxicity has an extreme impact on patient quality of life (QoL), and can lead to lack of adherence and ultimately, compromise therapy success. There is increasing interest in adopting more effective approaches for active/continuous patient-reported symptom monitoring. Emerging evidence, (Denis et al. 2019), shows that this strategy can reduce toxicity, emergency room visits, and improve QoL. Objectives: We aimed to analyze the QoL of women with BC diagnosis who underwent mobile-based continuous monitoring, searching for possible trends and describing the population. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis using data from patients with BC undergoing systemic treatment and monitored by a mobile-based application between January 2022 and June 2023 at an outpatient clinic in Brazil. Thummi is a digital platform for remote monitoring of cancer patients which enables them to record symptoms, toxicities and lifestyle variables. Utilizes the data to generate personalized recommendations and advice. It is available in Brazil at no cost. Doctors indicate the use and can monitor their patients in real time. In addition to an algorithm that informs the user if there is a need to go to the emergency room or not, the medical team can exchange real-time messages with patients. Clinicians have access to patient data through a web tool, allowing them to visualize the information, address symptom alerts, and make informed clinical-therapeutic decisions. The evaluated sample is from patients who come from physicians who indicated the use, without control of their origin, indication of treatment or clinical stage. The data were extracted from the platform's total database. Participants were requested to complete the Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC EQ-5D) integrated into the app every month. Inclusion criteria comprised a BC diagnosis, age ≥18, and having responded to the QoL questionnaire with at least a one-month interval between scores. Patients who failed to meet these criteria were excluded from the analysis. A comparison of QoL scores was performed between two periods: T0 (the first recorded response) and T1 (the subsequent response with at least a one-month interval between scores). Descriptive statistical analyses were conducted to search for possible trends, describe the population, and comprehensively examine the differences in QoL scores between T0 and T1. Results: There were 134 active patients in the mobile-based platform with a BC diagnosis, but only 86 (64,17%) met the inclusion criteria for the final analysis. The median age of this group was 54 years old (range 22-78). The most common treatments administered were Cyclophosphamide-Doxorubicin (28 patients, 33%) and Trastuzumab-Deruxtecan (18 patients, 21%). The average QoL score in T0 was 0,70 (SD 0,1379) and 1,0 (SD 0,1560) at T1, representing an increase of 30% after using the app for one month. Conclusion: This study suggests that mobile-based monitoring has the potential to improve the QoL for women diagnosed with BC. The difference in average QoL scores between the initial and subsequent periods indicates a positive impact of utilizing the platform. Further research is needed to establish a better correlation and to explore the specific interventions that contribute to these improvements. Implementing mobile-based monitoring in clinical practice could enhance patient well-being, treatment adherence, and survival time and can potentially lessen both burden of disease and resource utilization in BC care. Citation Format: Alessandra Morelle, Carlos Barrios, Carlos Pereira, Vinicius Agibert, Pedhro Lennon Freitas, Matheus Rocha, Paulo Schulze. Assessing quality of Life in breast cancer patients undergoing mHealth mobile monitoring: A descriptive Analysis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO2-11-04.

Abstract PO1-12-04: Exploring Factors Associated with Sexual Well-being and Breast Satisfaction Among Women with Early-stage Breast Cancer

Abstract BACKGROUND: Breast cancer affects not only physical health but also psychological and emotional well-being. Among the various aspects that impact the quality of life of breast cancer patients, sexual well-being and body image in terms of breast satisfaction play a crucial role. Unfortunately, these aspects are often overlooked and undervalued in healthcare, leading to inadequate care and support for breast cancer patients. This study delved into the factors that influence breast satisfaction and sexual well-being in early-stage breast cancer patients who have recently received a cancer diagnosis. We aim to offer providers a more patient-centered and comprehensive approach to breast cancer care. METHODS: This prospective questionnaire-based study screened 175 early-stage breast cancer patients recently diagnosed at a university-affiliated community hospital in Michigan from October 2022 to June 2023. Participants with a previous history of chemoradiation and advanced-stage breast cancer were excluded. Structured telephone interviews were conducted to obtain informed consent and assess patients' breast satisfaction and sexual well-being. Participants were interviewed after their recent breast cancer diagnosis and before undergoing surgical intervention. A validated BREAST-Q questionnaire was used, and their scores were converted to equivalent Rasch scores for interpretation (0=worst, 100=best). Pre-existing medical conditions, social history, and other variables were collected through electronic medical records review and confirmed by interview. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 28.0, and a p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Of 175 patients initially screened, 56 met the selection criteria. 75% (N=42) participated, while 25% (N=14) were excluded as they declined to participate or were unreachable via telephone. 81% were White, 14% were Black, and 5% were Hispanics. The cancer stages of the patients were Stage 0 (29.3%), I (48.8%), II (12.2%), and III (9.8%). The mean breast satisfaction score of participants was 67.1 (N=42), and the mean sexual well-being score was 44.6 (N=36). The study found that only the type of surgery was observed to be significantly related to the breast satisfaction of patients. Interestingly, patients who chose mastectomy had higher breast satisfaction scores (75.6 vs. 62.9, p&amp;lt; 0.05) and were relatively younger (59 years vs. 67 years, p&amp;lt; 0.05) than those undergoing lumpectomy. No other demographic factors (race, education, marital status, BMI), social history (smoking), bra size, or pre-existing medical conditions (hypertension, diabetes) were found to affect breast satisfaction among these patients. On the other hand, age had a negative correlation with sexual well-being (mean age=64 years, p&amp;lt; 0.05), while income had a positive correlation (mean income=$ 76,170 annually, p&amp;lt; 0.05). No other variables were significantly associated with patients’ sexual well-being. CONCLUSION: The study revealed that the patient's sexual well-being was significantly associated with age and income, while breast satisfaction was only related to the type of surgery. These findings underscore the importance of considering multiple aspects of a patient's life when designing a comprehensive treatment plan following a cancer diagnosis. By providing additional support and resources tailored to these specific needs, healthcare providers can enhance patients' overall quality of life and promote greater satisfaction with their treatment outcomes. Citation Format: Kim Abbegail Aldecoa, Yi Lee, Lisa Deptula, Chioma Mbionwu, Ewomamobuho Eto, Esentur Salamatov, Megan Frame, Andrea Briefs Ferris, Geetha Krishnamoorthy, Amy Kirby, Judie Goodman. Exploring Factors Associated with Sexual Well-being and Breast Satisfaction Among Women with Early-stage Breast Cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO1-12-04.

The impact of fear of cancer recurrence on the quality of life of breast cancer patients: A longitudinal study of the mediation effect of cortisol and hope

ObjectiveThis longitudinal study sought to explore the impact of cortisol and hope levels on Fear of Cancer Recurrence (FCR) and Quality of Life (QOL) in a cohort of 552 breast cancer patients from three centers in Wuhan City. MethodA longitudinal study involving 552 breast cancer patients from three centers in Wuhan City utilized Chinese versions of the Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form (FoP-Q-SF), the Herth Hope Index (HHI), and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B) scale. Cortisol levels were measured thrice daily, and data was collected longitudinally three times. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 26.0 and Mplus 8.3, employing a longitudinal path model constructed via the cross-lagged method. ResultsThe results showed there were significant correlations between FCR, cortisol levels, and QOL at different time points. A significant mediating model was found with outcomes related to hope levels. Specifically, FCR predicted a decrease in hope levels (β = −0.163, p < 0.001), which in turn led to a decrease in overall QOL (β = −0.078, p < 0.001), with a mediation effect accounting for 10.34%. Although there were correlations between FCR, cortisol levels, and QOL at different time points, further analysis revealed that cortisol levels did not exhibit a mediating effect between the two (95% confidence interval: −0.002 to 0.001). ConclusionThis study demonstrated there were significant correlations among FCR, QOL, and hope levels. Considering hope as a crucial mediator between FCR and QOL, potential intervention strategies for optimizing the QOL of breast cancer patients are proposed.

Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Fear of Cancer Recurrence in Breast Cancer

Background Fear of cancer recurrence is one of the psychological distresses that seriously affects the quality of life of breast cancer patients. However, the evidence for cognitive behavioral therapy on fear of cancer recurrence in breast cancer is limited. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy in reducing breast cancer patients’ fear of cancer recurrence. Methods Seven databases were searched for randomized controlled studies on cognitive behavioral therapy for fear of cancer recurrence in cancer patients from the inception of the database to April 30, 2023, with no language restrictions. Meta-analysis was performed using Stata MP 17. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool version 2 was used to assess the quality of the included studies. The quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation method. Results This review includes a total of 13 randomized controlled trials with 1447 breast cancer patients and survivors. When compared with controls, meta-analysis revealed that cognitive behavioral therapy significantly reduced the fear of cancer recurrence (g = −0.44; 95% confidence interval, −0.75 to −0.13; P &lt; .001), whereas subgroup analysis revealed that only mindfulness-based cognitive therapy was significant. The overall risk of bias was high. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation assessment showed a low overall quality of evidence. Conclusions Cognitive behavioral therapy may be effective in reducing fear of cancer recurrence in breast cancer patients, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy is particularly worthy of implementation. Implications for Practice Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy may be used as an additional strategy to help manage breast cancer patients’ fears of cancer recurrence.

Analisis Faktor yang Mempengaruhi Kualitas Hidup Pasien Kanker Payudara dengan Limfedema

This study aims to determine the factors that influence the quality of life of breast cancer patients with lymphedema. The research method used is a systematic review through databases and electronic websites, namely Pubmed, Proquest, EbscoHost, and Embase. The results of the study showed that the 10 research articles explained factors that influence quality of life, including operations involving the removal of a number of lymph nodes thereby increasing the possibility of lymphedema, the degree of lymphedema which affects the physical domain, mental domain, social domain and sexuality domain, as well as the accuracy of handling lymphedema. In conclusion, anticipating the impact of lymphedema will improve the quality of life of breast cancer patients. Keywords: Breast Cancer, Lymphedema, Quality Of Life

Pengaruh Perawatan Paliatif terhadap Kualitas Hidup Pasien Kanker Payudara

This study aims to analyze the effect of palliative care on the quality of life of breast cancer patients. The research method used was a systematic review using the Research gate, Google Scholar, and PubMed databases with inclusion criteria covering 10 journals using the keywords palliative care, quality of life, and breast cancer. The research results showed that of the 10 articles reviewed, all articles showed that good palliative care would improve the quality of life in patients with breast cancer. In conclusion, there is a relationship between palliative care and the quality of life of patients with breast cancer, thus proving that palliative care has an influence on quality of life. Comprehensive palliative care for various aspects of the patient's life plays a very important role in achieving maximum quality of life in breast cancer patients. Keywords: Breast Cancer, Palliative Care, Quality of Life.

Correlation between Depression and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients through a Cross-Sectional Analysis

Correlation between Depression and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients through a Cross-Sectional Analysis

88 (PB-088) Poster - A multidisciplinary approach to the enhancement of quality of life of breast cancer patients in the South-west, Nigeria

88 (PB-088) Poster - A multidisciplinary approach to the enhancement of quality of life of breast cancer patients in the South-west, Nigeria

Mental Adjustment to Cancer and its Effect on the Quality of Life of Women with Breast Cancer

Introduction: Breast cancer has been recognized as the most common malignancy in women during the last 10-15 years. Quality of life is the result of several physical and psychosocial effects. The result of this study was conducted to investigate the strategies of mental adjustment to cancer and its impact on the quality of life of breast cancer patients.&#x0D; Methods: This descriptive-correlational study was conducted on 240 breast cancer patients using simple random sampling who were referred in Shahid Ramezanzadeh Radiotherapy Center, Yazd, Iran, from April to October 2021. Data collection tools were standard quality of life questionnaires (EORTC QLQ-C30) and Mini-Comparison of Mental Adaptation to Cancer (Mini-MAC). Data were analyzed using t-test, correlation and regression in SPSS version 16 software.&#x0D; Results: The mean age of patients was 44.77(±11.00) years. There was a significant and negative correlation between quality of life and Helplessness hopelessness (r= -.795, p&lt;0.001) and anxious preoccupation (r= -.705, p&lt;0.001). Quality of life was significantly and positively correlated with fighting spirit (r= .368, p&lt;0.001) and cognitive avoidance (r= .364, p&lt;0.001) and Fatefulness(r= .155, p&lt;0.05). In general, cancer coping strategies explained 59% of the quality of life variation in breast cancer patients.&#x0D; Conclusion: In order to improve the quality of life of patients, it is necessary to teach them adaptive strategies to adjust with cancer, such as fighting spirit and cognitive avoidance.

Assessing the Impact of Organ Failure and Metastases on Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients: A Prospective Study Based on Utilizing EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-BR45 Questionnaires in Romania.

Breast cancer (BC) significantly impacts the quality of life (QoL) of affected individuals. This study, conducted at Colțea Clinical Hospital, Bucharest, aimed to assess the impact of organ failures and metastases on QoL in breast cancer patients using EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-BR45 questionnaires and the survival rate to understand the clinical journey and the quality of life status in breast cancer patients. From January 2019 to October 2022, a prospective, observational study surveyed 874 patients, revealing 201 fatalities, 66 refusals, and 607 eligible participants. Results indicated statistically significant differences in various QoL aspects for patients experiencing heart failure, including physical functioning, pain, insomnia, global health status, and overall summary score. Kidney failure exhibited significance in physical functioning for QLQ-C30 and body image, sexual functioning, and endocrine sexual symptoms for QLQ-BR45. Respiratory failure demonstrated significant differences across multiple QoL domains. Patients with bone metastases reported lower physical functioning (p = 0.006) and increased pain (p = 0.002). This study has revealed an overall 5-year life expectancy of 68.8%, with survival rates of 93.8% for Stage I, 86.3% for Stage II, and 77.2% for Stage III breast cancer. Metastatic cancer patients have shown a 35.6% survival rate over 45 months, with a median survival duration of 36 months. A significant limitation of our study was the administration of the questionnaire only once, preventing us from quantifying the impact of specific treatment types on quality of life. This study emphasizes the necessity of using standardized QoL assessments in clinical practice from the initial presentation to ongoing follow-up.

Association Between Dyadic Coping and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients and Their Spouses: An Actor-partner Interdependence Mediation Model

PurposeThis study aims to examine the relationship between dyadic coping (DC), intimate relationship, and quality of life (QOL), and to explore the mediating role of intimate relationship in patients with breast cancer (BC) and their spouses from a dyadic perspective. MethodsA cross-sectional design was used in this present study, and 205 dyads of BC patients and their spouses who completed a sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire and self-reported measures assessing their DC, intimate relationship, and QOL were recruited. The actor-partner interdependence mediation model (APIMeM) was adopted for dyadic distinguished data analysis. The paired t-test, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and the structural equation model were employed for data analysis by using SPSS 22.0 and Amos 24.0. ResultsThe current study revealed that, for BC patients and their spouses, intimate relationship mediates completely the actor effect of DC on QOL. That is to say, DC was positively related to intimate relationship and then improved QOL. It was interesting to find that, for both patients and their spouses, the intimate relationship could exert a partner-actor complete mediation effect between DC and QOL. ConclusionThe DC perceived by both BC patients and their spouses has significant actor effects on QOL by improving the level of an intimate relationship. Furthermore, intimate relationship has significant actor-actor and partner-actor complete mediation effects for both patients and their spouses. Given the vital role of patient-spouse dyads, nursing staff should take patients’ spouses into account when conducting related psychosocial interventions aiming to improve the QOL of BC patients and their spouses.

Glucocorticoid receptor: a harmonizer of cellular plasticity in breast cancer-directs the road towards therapy resistance, metastatic progression and recurrence.

Recent therapeutic advances have significantly uplifted the quality of life in breast cancer patients, yet several impediments block the road to disease-free survival. This involves unresponsiveness towards administered therapy, epithelial to mesenchymal transition, and metastatic progression with the eventual appearance of recurrent disease. Attainment of such characteristics is a huge adaptive challenge to which tumour cells respond by acquiring diverse phenotypically plastic states. Several signalling networks and mediators are involved in such a process. Glucocorticoid receptor being a mediator of stress response imparts prognostic significance in the context of breast carcinoma. Involvement of the glucocorticoid receptor in the signalling cascade of breast cancer phenotypic plasticity needs further elucidation. This review attempted to shed light on the inter-regulatory interactions of the glucocorticoid receptor with the mediators of the plasticity program in breast cancer; which may provide a hint for strategizing therapeutics against the glucocorticoid/glucocorticoid receptor axis so as to modulate phenotypic plasticity in breast carcinoma.

Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on quality of life of breast cancer patient: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy that occurs in women. Due to the pain caused by the disease itself and the adverse reactions in the treatment process, breast cancer patients are prone to anxiety, depression, fear of recurrence, and other negative emotions, which seriously affect the quality of life. As a systematic stress reduction therapy, mindfulness-based stress reduction is widely applied to the treatment of breast cancer patients and has been found by a growing number of studies to relieve stress, regulate mood, and improve the state. However, due to the absence of recent research and uniform outcome measures, previous studies have failed to fully explain the role of mindfulness-based stress reduction in improving the quality of life in breast cancer patients. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate and compare the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy and standard care on the quality of life and psychological status of breast cancer patients. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, China's National Knowledge Infrastructure and the Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials up to July 2023 to identify candidate randomized clinical trials addressing the values of mindfulness-based stress reduction in breast cancer patients. A total of 1644 patients participated in 11 randomized controlled trials. The results of the meta-analysis showed that mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy can significantly reduce negative emotions such as perceived stress (MD = -1.46, 95%CI = -2.53 to -0.38, p = 0.03), depression (MD = -1.84, 95%CI = -3.99 to -0.30, p = 0.0004), anxiety (MD = -2.81, 95%CI = -5.31 to -0.32, p = 0.002), and fear of recurrence (MD = -1.27, 95%CI = -3.44 to 0.90, p = 0.0004). Mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy also has certain advantages in improving the coping ability (MD = 1.26, 95%CI = -3.23 to5.76, p = 0.03) and the emotional state (MD = -7.73, 95%CI = -27.34 to 11.88, p = 0.0007) of patients with breast cancer. Our analyses support that, compared with standard care, mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy can significantly improve patients' coping ability, reduce adverse emotions and improve patients' emotional states.

Impact of Rural-Urban Differences in Acceptance and Meaning of Life among Breast Cancer Patients in India

India is a land of unity in diversity and it is not only true about its sociocultural but also holds residential areas too. Rural and urban areas associated with different sociostructural characteristics may contribute variation in behavioural adaptation. We studied the impact of rural-urban differences on the acceptance level and meaning of life among breast cancer patients in India. The present analytical descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted under superspecialty hospital, West Bengal, India. We compared the acceptance capability and meaning in life in breast cancer patients from rural areas (N = 122) and urban areas (N = 99). Patient-reported data concerning selected psychological (acceptance ability and the meaning of life), sociodemographic, and biological factors were collected by using validated tools. To identify the impact of sociocultural variation, descriptive statistics were calculated as the mean ± standard deviation of the score of validated tools based on acceptance and meaning of life. Patients from urban areas perceived meaning of life significantly worse than rural individuals (33.1 ± 2.44 vs. 24.2 ± 1.02). Education ( p = &lt; 0.01 ), family per capita income ( p = 0 &lt; 0.01 ), and family structure ( p = 0.004 ) factors were evaluated for being predictors of acceptance levels, whereas the educational level ( p = &lt; 0.01 ) has significantly interacted with the meaning of life among both areas’ patients. Disease acceptance levels were found to be significantly higher in urban area’s patients than rural ones (38.6 ± 1.9 vs. 32.7 ± 1.92). The current study demonstrates that the patients of rural background and low education are more likely than their respective counterparts to have a lower level of acceptance capability and meaning of life.