Abstract PO1-11-07: Do factors other than type of surgery performed for breast cancer affect quality of life and sexual functioning in breast cancer survivors? An observational study from Northern India
Authors: KHARE SIDDHANT , Dhamor Devesh , IRRINKI R N NAGA SANTOSH , Padhi Bijaya 
Published: May 2024

INTRODUCTION There is an increasing focus of the treating clinicians on issues related to quality of life and sexual functioning in breast cancer survivors. This is even more important in developing countries like India as the incidence of breast cancer in young in also significant here. However, despite this, there is little data from India on the factors affecting quality of life and sexual functioning on breast cancer survivors. Hence, we decided to perform this study. METHODS Patients who had undergone surgery for breast cancer within the last 2-5 years were included. Patients having significant psychiatric illness were excluded and so were patients who developed metastasis or local recurrence during the follow up. Questions on demographics, clinical history, standard of living index, quality of life (SF-36 questionnaire) and sexual function (CSFQ questionnaire) were asked. Data was analyzed using SPSS v22. Normality of continuous data was tested by Kolmogorov–Smirnov and Shapiro–Wilk tests. As a test of significance, chi square was used for qualitative data and t-test, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis were used (as applicable) for quantitative data. Bonferroni adjustment was made wherever significance was found, if more than 1 group were involved. Multiple linear regression was carried out for quantitative dependent variables where significant risk factors were found. Independent variables with significant collinearity were excluded from linear regression. RESULTS A total of 120 patients were enrolled. In QOL scores, both physical health (B = -13.76, p = 0.007) and emotional problems (B = -10.65, p = 0.035) were affected adversely by endocrine therapy. Patients who had received radiotherapy had worse emotional well-being scores (B = -14.61, p = &lt; 0.001). Patients who received chemotherapy or were married had significantly better social functioning score (B = 15.27, p = 0.020, B = 17.38, p = 0.041 respectively), whereas it was worse in patients who received trastuzumab (B = -18.32, p = 0.024). Pain scores were higher in premenopausal patients (B = 11.95, p = 0.021) and lower in patients having co-morbidities (B = -10.95, p = 0.039). None of the factors affected physical functioning, energy/fatigue, general health or health change scores. In sexual functioning scores, pleasure score (B = 1.27, p = 0.011) frequency scores (B = 1.97, p = 0.012), orgasm score (B = 3.43, p = 0.019) and total score (B = 12.30, p = 0.006) were higher in married women. Pleasure score was found to be lower in patients with co-morbidities (B = -0.82, p = 0.003). None of the factors affected desire or arousal. CONCLUSION Even though sexual functioning depended a lot on having a long-term partner, most of the factors affecting quality of life scores were treatment related. Actively addressing these concerns may help in improving quality of life and in turn, may improve compliance to treatment and follow-up.

Citation Format: SIDDHANT KHARE, Devesh Dhamor, R N NAGA SANTOSH IRRINKI, Bijaya Padhi. Do factors other than type of surgery performed for breast cancer affect quality of life and sexual functioning in breast cancer survivors? An observational study from Northern India [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO1-11-07.