Quality of Life and Experience of Care in Women With Metastatic Breast Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

Context. Despite developments in the medical management of metastatic breast cancer, little is known about the quality of life (QoL) and experience of care in women with it.Objectives. To explore QoL, experience of care, and support needs of women living with metastatic breast cancer in the U.K.Methods. Questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study, undertaken in two U.K. cancer centers and online via the Breast Cancer Care Web site, assessing QoL and experience of care in 235 women with metastatic breast cancer.Results. QoL was assessed using the Functional Assessment of Cancer TherapydBreast QoL measure. Overall, QoL was low (mean 89.0, standard deviation 21.8) for total score. Low scores were seen uniformly in physical, social, emotional, and functional well-being domains. Symptom burden was a significant problem, with over one-third of women (34%) reporting high levels of pain and other uncontrolled symptoms. In multiple regression analysis, social well-being was significantly better for older women (P < 0.001) but was lower in those with bone metastases only (P ¼ 0.002). Functional well-being was significantly higher in women without children (P ¼ 0.004). Satisfaction with experience of care was low and appeared to be predominantly in the hospital setting, with little evidence of involvement of general practitioners and palliative care services.Conclusion. Despite improvements in treatment and survival of women with metastatic breast cancer, this group reports high symptom burden and dissatisfaction with elements of their care, indicating that alternative models of service delivery should be explored. J Pain Symptom Manage 2011;-:-e-.

Physical activity and fitness in women with metastatic breast cancer.

“…Declines in quality of life and disease-related symptoms have been observed [4][5][6]. However, the physical status of this population remains unclear.…”

Evaluating the experiences and support needs of people living with chronic cancer: development and initial validation of the Chronic Cancer Experiences Questionnaire (CCEQ)

“…The CCEQ covers a broad range of experiences, which have been identified as important to patients living with chronic cancer 3 6. It assumes that patients with chronic cancer have an ongoing and predominantly outpatient relationship with hospital-based oncology services, with supplementary involvement from primary care and community or palliative care services, as described in previous research 3 6.…”

“…Very little is known about patients' experiences of chronic cancer. For women with advanced breast cancer, research has shown that satisfaction with experience of care is poor, that care is predominantly in the hospital setting and there is little evidence of involvement of general practitioners (GPs) or palliative care services 6. Prior research by the authors, interviewing 56 patients living with chronic cancer (breast, gynaecological, colorectal, renal and prostate cancers), identified that patients experience a range of problems, including difficulty managing treatment schedules and frequent hospital appointments; a lack of integration between hospital and community/general practice services; difficulty coping with multiple and changing symptoms alongside the cyclical nature of chronic cancer; and difficulty dealing with uncertainty 3…”

The Nurse’s role in managing the psychological and emotional impact on women diagnosed with breast cancer

“…support from health care professional Reed et al [29] conducted a questionnaire-based, crosssectional study, in two U.K cancer centres and online via the Breast Cancer Care website, assessing Quality of Life and the experience of care in 235 women with metastatic Breast Cancer. Overall, the results showed that the patients' satisfaction with their experience of care, including psychological and emotional care, was low.…”