Health-related quality of life of breast and colorectal cancer patients undergoing active chemotherapy treatment: Patient-reported outcomes

Purpose: We sought to explore the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of Breast Cancer (BC) and Colorectal Cancer (CRC) patients receiving active chemotherapy.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among a convenient sample of BC and CRC patients between May 2018 and June 2019. HRQoL was measured with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B; 36 items, score range 0-144)) and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Colon (FACT-C; 34 items, score range 0-136) scales. Both scales measured Physical Well-Being (PWB), Social Well-Being (SWB), emotional well-being, Functional Well-Being (FWB), and an additional disease-specific HRQoL items.

Results: A total of 209 BC and 159 CRC patients were included, with a mean age 49.73 ± 10.41 and 55.38 ± 11.35 years, respectively. 110 (52.6%) of BC and 86 (54.1%) CRC patients were dependent on caregivers, and 115 (55%) of BC and 92 (57.9%) CRC patients slept > 7 h/night. Reported HRQoL mean scores of BC (FACT-B) and CRC (FACT-C) were 85.53 ± 14.81 and 87.69 ± 20.21, respectively. For BC, the PWB score of patients aged >49 years (postmenopausal) was statistically significantly (p = 0.013) worse than those aged ≤49 years (premenopausal). Patients dependent on caregivers had statistically significant better PWB and worse EWB (p = 0.041; p = 0.027, respectively). CRC patients' dependent on caregivers had better statistically significant differences scoring in FACT-C (p = <0.001), PWB (p = 0.001), EWB (p = <0.001), and FWB (p = 0.001).

Conclusion: In this study, BC and CRC patients who received active chemotherapy were more likely to have poor HRQoL. BC and CRC HRQoL should be addressed early and continuously, to limit their effects on treatment plan.