Introduction: Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer and leading cause of women’s mortality due to malignancy. Treatment increases the survival however it is associated with poor quality of life and bringing the patients toward palliative care. Objectives: This study was conducted to compare the quality of life in patients with breast cancer receiving palliative care and ordinary care. Patients and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was carried out in Tehran hospitals (February to August 2017). The sample consisted of 220 breast cancer women who had completed the therapy four weeks prior to the study. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), its supplementary breast cancer questionnaire (QLQ-BR23) and International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) were applied to assess the quality of life of patients who received palliative care (n=110) and ordinary care (n=110). Descriptive and inferential statistics (t test and Mann-Whitney U test) were applied to analyze the data through SPSS 21. Results: The palliative care group demonstrated higher quality of life compared to the ordinary care group. Scores in functioning and global health were higher in the palliative care group than the ordinary care group. The palliative care group also had higher scores in sexual functioning, body image, future perspective, physical activity and lower scores in symptom scales, arm symptoms and hair loss than the ordinary care group (P<0.001). Conclusion: Palliative care provides more desired quality of life than ordinary care in breast cancer women and can be effective to improve the quality of life in these patients.

Objectives: Evidence suggests that oxidative stress (OS) plays a prominent role in the pathophysiology of pregnancy complications in women. The present study was conducted to determine the levels of OS markers in early pregnancy loss and to compare the results with those in healthy pregnant women. Materials and Methods: A total of 32 women with early pregnancy loss and 32 healthy women in the first trimester of pregnancy, with similar demographic characteristics entered this study as the cases and controls. Serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), uric acid, and bilirubin levels were determined in both groups. The data obtained were then analyzed and compared between the groups using the independent samples t test and Mann-Whitney U test. Results: The 2 groups matched in terms of personal-demographic characteristics including mother’s age, father’s age, gravidity, and body mass index (BMI). MDA levels increased significantly in the women with spontaneous abortion compared to the healthy pregnant women (4.35±1.47 vs. 3.42±1.68 µM/L; P=0.026) and TAC decreased significantly in the cases compared to the healthy controls (552.34±212.79 vs. 1003.23±1168.68 U/mL; P=0.040). Uric acid and bilirubin levels did not differ between the groups. Conclusions: The results of this study provides further evidence on the effect of increased OS on the incidence of early spontaneous abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy. High serum MDA levels and low TAC during pregnancy were 2 risk factors for spontaneous abortion. The present findings support the hypothesis that OS plays a key role in the etiopathogenesis of spontaneous abortion. Further studies are required for assessing the preventive role of antioxidant therapy in this complication.