Health-related Quality of Life among Breast Cancer Patients and its Influencing Factor in a Chinese Population

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the quality of life (QOL) of breast cancer patients by using theFunctional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B) questionnaires.
Methods: A total of 522 adult patientswho were admitted to our hospital with breast cancer were collected during the period of Jun. 2007 to Dec. 2009.
Results: Our FACT-B questionnaire study suggested that women below 50 years old, employed, higher educationand annual income, lower TNM stage and receiving modified radical mastectomy manifested significantly betterQOL using the assessment tool of the FACT-B subscale. Moreover, regression analysis indicated patients withyoung age, low stage cancer, high education and income were more likely to have high score of QOL, with ORs(95% CI) of 2.8 (1.52-4.56), 2.1 (1.15-3.95), 3.1 (1.45-5.12) and 3.54 (1.54-5.43), respectively.
Conclusion: Ourstudy showed younger age, lower stage of cancer, higher education and income could influence the QOL of breastcancer patients in our Chinese population. Further large sample studies are still needed for confirmation.