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Cluster of symptoms in women with breast cancer treated with curative intent

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to verify that there is a cluster of symptoms in women with breast cancer who were treated with curative intent and are free of disease.

Methods

One hundred and thirty-eight patients were recruited from the Mastology Department of Hospital A.C. Camargo with breast cancer, who have been treated with curative intent and concluded adjuvant chemotherapy 3–24 months prior who may or may not be using hormone therapy. The characterization of the sample was made through descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, median, and percentage). For evaluation of the cluster of symptoms, the following were used: Pearson correlation coefficient among the scales of Profile of Mood States, EORTC-QLQ-C30, and EORTC-BR23 and a factor analysis with principal components analysis with promax rotation (oblique). For the extraction of factors, an eigenvalue of 1 was considered, and to evaluate the permanence of symptom factor, a load greater than 0.40 was considered. Statistical significance was defined as p value <0.05.

Results

Through factor analysis of data, three distinct groupings were observed. Factor 1 corresponds to the psychoemotional symptoms and grouped as depression, confusion, anger, tension, fatigue, and breast symptoms. Factor 2 corresponds to physical symptoms, which include pain, dyspnea, arm symptoms, and insomnia. Finally, factor 3 corresponds to gastrointestinal symptoms (inappetence, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting).

Conclusions

Through the data presented, the cluster of symptoms could be verified in women with breast cancer who were treated with curative intent and free of disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Antonio Prudente Foundation, São Paulo, Brazil

    Alexandre Lopes Evangelista & Erika Maria Monteiro Santos

Authors
  1. Alexandre Lopes Evangelista
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  2. Erika Maria Monteiro Santos
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Correspondence to Alexandre Lopes Evangelista.

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Evangelista, A.L., Santos, E.M.M. Cluster of symptoms in women with breast cancer treated with curative intent. Support Care Cancer 20, 1499–1506 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-011-1238-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-011-1238-1

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