[Quality of life and related factors in breast cancer patients under chemotherapy]

ABSTRACT

Today, the quality of life study has an important role in health care especially in chronic diseases, in clinical judgment and in medical resources supplying. Malignancies have a clinical and health importance in the world and Iran. Breast cancer has first order among women's malignancies. Now, survival rate for this cancer is long. However Breast cancer has several complications that affected patient's life. It is necessary that we studying the quality of life and related factors among this patients. We conducted a cross-sectional study on 119 breast cancer patients that admitted and treated in chemotherapy ward of Namazi hospital in Shiraz.We used QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23 to assessment quality of life in these patients. We used univariate nonparametric tests and multiple linear regression model to identify associations between dependent variables and the quality of life and it's different scales.All calculation performed by using SPSS.V.13. Mean age of patients was 48.27 +/- 11.42 with quality of life total score 64.92 +/- 24.28. Univariate analysis showed that occupation,duration of disease,grade of tumor, physical, emotional and cognitive functioning, also, symptoms such as fatigue,pain, nausea and vomiting, insomnia, constipation and financial difficulties, perspective were associated to quality of life. [P< 0.05]. But in multivariate analysis, only occupation, menopause status, dyspnea, grade of tumor and financial difficulties perspective were related to quality of life [p<0.05]. With this finding, It is recommended that financial supports, also early detection are necessary for improvement of quality of life in these patients