Aim of the study: To assess the quality of life in patients treated for breast cancer who were 5 years after diagnosis and were active members of Breast Cancer Self-Help Groups.
Material and methods: The study had a non-randomized, cross-sectional design. We enrolled 167 women who were more than 5 years after mastectomy and were active members of Breast Cancer Self-Help Groups (group A1). As a control group we enrolled 117 women after mastectomy - not members of such support groups (group A2). For the evaluation of the quality of life in both groups we used the following standardized questionnaires - EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-BR23 as well the Mini-MAC scale for the assessment of strategies of coping with disease.
Results: Based on QLQ C30 scores, group A1 had better emotional functioning (p = 0.0005) and a higher general quality of life (p = 0.0259), whereas group A2 had better role functioning (p = 0.0042). Based on QLQ BR23 scores, there were statistically significant differences in body image (p = 0.0366) and life perspectives (p = 0.0313) in favor of group A1. In the control group, there was a greater use of destructive coping strategies and anxious preoccupation (p = 0.1957).
Conclusions: Membership in Amazon groups improves functioning in breast cancer patients that can also extend into a five-year period after treatment completion.
Keywords: Self-Help Groups; breast cancer; mastectomy; quality of life; standardized questionnaires.