Abstract C43: Health-related quality of life among younger black breast cancer survivors
Authors: Vadaparampil Susan T. , Malo Teri L. , Hughes-Halbert Chanita , Holt Cheryl L. , Bynum Shalanda A. , Kim Jongphil , Bonner Devon , Bomboka Linda , Scherr Courtney , Ashing Kimlin , Pal Tuya 
Published: May 2015

Purpose: Of an estimated 3 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S, the median age at diagnosis is 61 years for all racial/ethnic groups combined. Although the overall incidence of breast cancer is lower in Black women compared to White women, they are more likely to develop and die from early onset (age 50 years or younger) aggressive disease. As a result, young Black women with invasive breast cancer may experience poorer quality of life after breast cancer diagnosis; yet, few studies have focused on this subset of younger Black breast cancer survivors. As part of an ongoing population-based case-only study to investigate etiology and outcomes of early-onset breast cancer in Black women, we sought to evaluate baseline predictors of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) at time of study entry.

Methods: Black women with invasive breast cancer at age 50 or younger diagnosed between 2009-2012 were recruited through the Florida State Cancer Registry utilizing state-mandated recruitment methods. Participants completed a comprehensive baseline questionnaire which included sociodemographic, clinical, and psychosocial characteristics. In the current study, we used multiple regression analysis to examine predictors of HRQOL measured with the FACT-G instrument. Predictors were selected based on the Contextual Model of HRQOL and included individual clinical (e.g., age at diagnosis) and psychosocial (e.g., anxiety) as well as macro/systemic (e.g., social support) level variables.

Results: This report includes the first 206 women who completed the baseline questionnaires. The mean age at diagnosis was 42.5 years (SD=6.2; range=21-50). The mean HRQOL score was 74.4 (SD=21.6; range= 25-108), which is lower than ranges reported in normative samples of both healthy females (mean: 79.6, SD=18.6; range=25-108) and cancer patients (mean: 82.1, SD=16.3; range=15-108). In bivariate analyses, HRQOL was significantly associated with 19 predictor variables (p &lt; .05). In multiple regression, these variables accounted for about 78% of the variance in HRQOL. Adjusting for other model variables, self-reported current general health (beta=.15); role limitations for moderate activities (.12) and climbing stairs (.15); and social support (.14) were significantly associated with higher HRQOL, whereas life stress (-.37) was inversely associated with HRQOL.

Conclusions: Individual-level factors such as better self-reported general health, more social support, and less stress were associated with higher HRQOL. Conversely, women with moderate role limitations reported higher HRQOL. These findings document baseline characteristics among a sample of younger Black breast cancer survivors and provide an important benchmark by which to compare subsequent changes in HRQOL in this cohort.

Citation Format: Susan T. Vadaparampil, Teri L. Malo, Chanita Hughes-Halbert, Cheryl L. Holt, Shalanda A. Bynum, Jongphil Kim, Devon Bonner, Linda Bomboka, Courtney Scherr, Kimlin Ashing, Tuya Pal. Health-related quality of life among younger black breast cancer survivors. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Sixth AACR Conference: The Science of Cancer Health Disparities; Dec 6–9, 2013; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2014;23(11 Suppl):Abstract nr C43. doi:10.1158/1538-7755.DISP13-C43