Abstract
The objective of this study is to investigate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in male breast cancer patients. Data of 20,673 patients diagnosed with primary breast cancer (male: n = 84) who completed a questionnaire after discharge from hospital were analysed. HRQoL (SF-36), age, sex, education, native language, insurance status, and partnership status were measured. Cancer staging, treatment (partial mastectomy vs. radical mastectomy), and cancer site were indicated by the clinicians. The HRQoL scores of male breast cancer patients were compared with reference populations. Differences in HRQoL scores between men and women were compared using t tests and regression analysis. Compared to female breast cancer patients, male patients scored significantly higher on seven of eight subscales (physical functioning, role functioning—physical and emotional, bodily pain, vitality, social functioning, and mental health) in the regression analysis. Compared to the reference populations (general male population, men aged 61–70, and the cancer-affected population), male breast cancer patients scored lower on SF-36 subscales on average, with major differences in emotional and physical role functioning. The results suggest that male breast cancer patients may need early interventions that specifically target role functioning, which is severely impaired compared to the male reference population. Future research needs to assess HRQoL with cancer-specific questionnaires and longitudinal designs also focussing on male patients in breast centres.
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Acknowledgments
The patient survey was requested and initiated by the North Rhine Westfalian Ministry of Work, Health and Social Affairs (MAGS NRW). The costs were borne by the participating hospitals as part of the breast centre certification and benchmarking process. The hospitals asked the patients to consent to participation in the study and indicated disease characteristics as reported. Neither the ministry nor the hospitals were involved in the analysis or interpretation of data, in the writing of the report, or in the decision to submit the paper for publication.
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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
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Kowalski, C., Steffen, P., Ernstmann, N. et al. Health-related quality of life in male breast cancer patients. Breast Cancer Res Treat 133, 753–757 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-012-1970-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-012-1970-3