Quality of life in women with breast cancer treated at a radiotherapy centre in Caruaru, Pernambuco, Brazil

Jonatas Gomes Barbosa da Silva; Diogo Timóteo Costa; Iago Dillion Lima Cavalcanti; Mariane Cajubá de Britto Lira Nogueira; Diego Augusto Lopes Oliveira

doi:10.5737/23688076322162171

Quality of life in women with breast cancer treated at a radiotherapy centre in Caruaru, Pernambuco, Brazil

Can Oncol Nurs J. 2022 Apr 1;32(2):162-171. doi: 10.5737/23688076322162171. eCollection 2022 Spring.

Authors

Jonatas Gomes Barbosa da Silva¹, Diogo Timóteo Costa¹, Iago Dillion Lima Cavalcanti¹, Mariane Cajubá de Britto Lira Nogueira², Diego Augusto Lopes Oliveira³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Residence in Cancer Attention and Palliative Care, University Center Tabosa of Almeida - ASCES/UNITA, Caruaru, Brazil.
² Laboratory of Nanotechnology, Biotechnology and Cell Culture (NanoBioCel), Federal University of Pernambuco/Academic Center of Vitória (UFPE/CAV).
³ Department of Nursing, University Center Tabosa of Almeida - ASCES/UNITA, Caruaru, Brazil.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the quality of life (QOL) of patients with breast cancer undergoing radiotherapy treatment.

Methods: The current study is a descriptive quantitative approach that seeks to identify the QOL of breast cancer patients during their radiotherapy treatment. A convenience sample of 30 women undergoing radiotherapy for breast cancer completed the EORTC QLQC30 questionnaire on Day 1 and Day 28.

Results: Results showed significant differences in QOL between the two sessions. Decreases in overall health (88.33 to 61.67) and functional health (76.45 to 67.77) were noted in parallel to an increase in the scale of symptoms (13.85 for 24.62).

Conclusions: The radiotherapeutic treatment impacts the QOL of patients with breast cancer. It is crucial for the nursing team to work together with a multi-professional team to adequately manage the treatment of these patients adequately.

Keywords: breast neoplasms; nursing care; quality of life; radiotherapy.