Abstract 1829: Predictors of quality of life among Hispanic and non-Hispanic White women: A 15 year follow-up study of long-term breast cancer survivors
Authors: Denkhoff Stephanie R. , Yang Dongyan , Pinkston Christina M. , Baumgartner Richard N. , Baumgartner Kathy B. 
Published: June 2012

Background: Breast cancer survivors are the largest group of cancer survivors, comprising 23% of the total. While significant predictors of quality of life (QOL) have emerged among independent studies, data is lacking for long-term survivors as well as for differences between Hispanic (H) and Non-Hispanic White (NHW) women. Investigating QOL is important for the evaluation of the consequences of breast cancer beyond the diagnosis and treatment phases.

Methods and Materials: Participants from the New Mexico Women's Health Study (NMWHS), population-based case-control investigation (1992-1996) were contacted by telephone 12-15 years after the original interview. QOL was assessed using the MOS SF-36, a generic, multi-purpose, health survey composed of 36 questions that has been utilized and validated to evaluate physical and mental health in many diverse populations. Multivariable linear regression was used to evaluate differences between cases and controls for eight sub-scales and two summary scales adjusting for potential covariates, including stratification by ethnicity for physical and mental health summary scales. Means for scales were log transformed and normalized and compared to the 1998 U.S. general population of females aged 55-64.

Results: There was a significant difference between cases and controls for the mental health summary (β=−3.74; p=0.04) but not physical health summary (β=−2.53; p=0.14) scale. Significant predictors for both summary scales included: age, ≥4 co-morbidities, current pain and fatigue, and less education. Social support (p=0.002), case (p=0.02) and ethnicity (p=0.02) were significant predictors of mental health while BMI (p&lt;0.0001) was significant for physical health. Adjustment for time since diagnosis, current marital status, and menopausal status did not alter the results. When stratified by ethnicity, and adjusted for all significant covariates, there was a significant difference in mental health summary between cases and controls for H women (p=0.03). Transformed means for eight subscales and physical health summary were higher for both cases and controls compared to normative data, with the exception of mental health summary for cases.

Conclusion: Breast cancer survivors report lower mental health scores on the SF-36 than control women 12 to 15 years after diagnosis and treatment. Hispanic cases, in particular, report lower mental health scores even after adjustment for multiple covariates including co-morbidity, pain and fatigue, education, and social support. This is one of the first studies to detect persistent problems with QOL in long-term breast cancer survivors.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1829. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1829