Background
The BREAST-Q is a patient-reported outcome instrument used to evaluate outcomes in patients undergoing breast cancer surgery and reconstruction. Normative values for the BREAST-Q breast cancer modules have not been established, limiting data interpretation.
Methods
Participants were recruited via the Army of Women, an online community of women (with and without breast cancer), to complete mastectomy, breast conserving therapy (BCT), and reconstruction pre-operative BREAST-Q scales. Inclusion criteria were women aged ≥18 years without a prior history of breast surgery or breast cancer. Analysis included descriptive statistics, a linear multivariate regression, and a comparison of the generated normative data to previously published BREAST-Q findings.
Results
The BREAST-Q was completed by 1,201 women. Mean age was 54 ±13 years, mean body mass index (BMI) 26 ±6, and 38% (n=455) had a bra cup ≥D. Mean scores for BREAST-Q scales (±standard deviation) were as follows: Satisfaction with Breasts (58 ±18), Psychosocial Well-being (71 ±18), Sexual Well-being (56 ±18), Physical Well-being-Chest (93 ±11), and Physical Well-being-Abdomen (78 ±20). Women with BMI ≥30, cup size ≥D, age <40, and income <$40,000/year reported lower scores. Comparing normative scores to published data in breast cancer patients, Satisfaction with Breasts were higher after autologous reconstruction and lower after mastectomy, Sexual Well-being scores were lower after mastectomy and BCT, and Physical Well-being Chest scores were lower after mastectomy, BCT and reconstruction.
Conclusions
These are the first published normative scores for the BREAST-Q breast cancer modules, and provide a clinical reference point for the interpretation of data.