Quality of Life Assessment in Women With Breast Cancer in Nineveh, Iraq

Israa J Mustafa; Omar R Abdullah; Najlaa Al-Saffar; Rashad F Ahmed; Mohammad Fouad

doi:10.7759/cureus.51589

Quality of Life Assessment in Women With Breast Cancer in Nineveh, Iraq

Cureus. 2024 Jan 3;16(1):e51589. doi: 10.7759/cureus.51589. eCollection 2024 Jan.

Authors

Israa J Mustafa¹, Omar R Abdullah², Najlaa Al-Saffar¹, Rashad F Ahmed³, Mohammad Fouad⁴

Affiliations

¹ Cancer Control Center, Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Hospital, Mosul, IRQ.
² Department of Nursing, Al-Hadba'a University College, Mosul, IRQ.
³ Department of Anesthesiology, Al-Hadba'a University College, Mosul, IRQ.
⁴ College of Medicine, University of Mosul, Mosul, IRQ.

Abstract

Background Due to earlier detection and improved treatment and examinations, there has been a rise in the survival rate of patients with breast cancer (BC). It is imperative to examine the health-related quality of life (QoL) of these patients, as it can aid healthcare professionals and authorities in comprehending the variables that influence quality of life. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of information on the subject of women in Nineveh. In Nineveh, a study sought to delve into the quality of life experienced by women undergoing treatment or on follow-up for breast cancer at Mosul Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Hospital. Specifically, researchers wanted to see how age and treatment impacted the QoL of these women. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 212 women with BC. Clinico-pathological-, social-, disease-, and treatment-related characteristics were reviewed. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B) questionnaire was used for assessing QoL in this study. Results The overall FACT-B score was 75.7 (SD=19.99). Around 36.3% (n=77) of women with BC suffered from a lack of energy, and 39% (n=83) could not meet the needs of their families. The mean score of emotional well-being was the lowest among the FACT-B subscales. Patients aged 60 years and older had significantly worse QoL than younger patients (less than 60 years), and patients receiving chemotherapy had poor QoL. During the chemotherapy period, 51.4% (n=77) of patients were bothered by the side effects of treatment; 43.8% (n=65) suffered from pain; 35.3% (n=53) had nausea; and 39.1% (n=58) felt ill. Conclusions Patients with breast carcinoma who are older tend to experience a lower quality of life, according to the findings of a recent study. Interestingly, those who undergo systemic chemotherapy have a worse QoL than their counterparts who complete their chemotherapy cycles. As a result, healthcare providers must offer targeted interventions to improve quality of life, particularly for those who fall into the older age group and those receiving chemotherapy.

Keywords: breast cancer; chemotherapy; fact-b; follow-up; quality of life.