MEMORANDUM FOR: Science Writers and Editors on the Journal Press List: Type of Breast Cancer Surgery Has Little Impact on Quality of Life

Extract

August 31, 2000 (EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE 4 P.M. EDT September 5)

A new study reports that women whose breast cancer was treated by mastectomy or mastectomy with reconstruction complained of more physical symptoms after surgery than women treated by lumpectomy, but the groups did not differ in their self-assessments of emotional, social, or role functioning.

Study leader Julia Rowland, Ph.D., of the National Cancer Institute, and colleagues, present their results in the Sept. 6 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. They conclude that a woman’s quality of life after breast cancer surgery is more likely influenced by her age or exposure to adjuvant therapy than what type of surgery she had. However, women who had reconstructive surgery after mastectomy were most likely to report that treatment had a negative impact on their sex lives (45.4% versus 29.8% for lumpectomy and 41.3% for mastectomy alone).

The study involved detailed surveys of breast cancer survivors in Los Angeles, Calif., and Washington, D.C. Women who had been diagnosed with breast cancer from 1 to 5 years before study entry were identified through a variety of mechanisms, including local tumor registries, physician practices, and treatment clinic logs or charts. More than 6000 breast cancer survivors were invited to participate in the study, about 60% responded to the invitation, and a total of 1957 women completed questionnaires. The questionnaire included a number of standardized measures of health-related quality of life, body image, and physical and sexual functioning.