Quality of Life in Younger Breast Cancer Survivors
Quality of Life in Younger Breast Cancer Survivors
RATIONALE: Studying quality of life in breast cancer survivors may help determine the long-term effects of breast cancer and may help improve the quality of life for future breast cancer survivors.
PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying quality of life in female breast cancer survivors and their spouse, partner, or acquaintance.
OBJECTIVES:
OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study.
Patients, spouse or partner of patients, age-matched acquaintances of patients, and partner of acquaintances complete questionnaires over 60-90 minutes about personal characteristics, self-efficacy, coping, social support, health care provider communication, physical, psychological, social, and spiritual functioning, and quality of life. After completing the study questionnaires, patients and age-matched acquaintances of patients are interviewed via telephone over 30 minutes for cognitive function assessment. A random subset of patients and spouses/partners of patients are interviewed via telephone over 45-60 minutes, using data-generating and open-ended questions, regarding physical functioning, sexual and reproductive issues, psychological issues, social impact, and methods used to deal with breast cancer survivor concerns.
Disease and treatment characteristics of patients are obtained from medical records.
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 2,697 patients, spouse or partner of patients, age-matched female acquaintances of patients, and partner of acquaintances will be accrued for this study.
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
Patient
Female breast cancer survivor with age at initial diagnosis in 1 of the following ranges:
Must have enrolled and participated in ECOG study CLB-9741, E-1199, or E-2197
Must have received chemotherapy at least 3 years, but no more than 8 years prior to this study entry
Disease free at the time of this study entry
Spouse or partner of the patient, age-matched female acquaintances of the patient (in the younger patient group), or partner of acquaintances
Spouse or partner of the patient may be either gender
Age-matched female acquaintance is defined as within 5 years of age difference of the patient in younger group (18-45 years of age)
PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
Monterey, California 93940, United States
Chicago, Illinois 60611-3013, United States
Libertyville, Illinois 60048, United States
La Porte, Indiana 46350, United States
Marlton, New Jersey 08053, United States
Neptune City, New Jersey 07754-0397, United States
New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903, United States
Voorhees Township, New Jersey 08043, United States
Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57117-5039, United States
Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
Green Bay, Wisconsin 54301-3526, United States