Quality of life assessment in breast cancer patients during palliative treatment in Indonesia

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to prospectively assess quality of life (QOL), QOL domains, and pain severity in advanced stage breast cancer patients during palliative oncology treatment in Indonesia. Methods: Advanced stage breast cancer patients > 18 years (n = 160) who began palliative oncology treatment were enrolled in the study using convenience sampling. They completed the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL questionnaire and pain severity (Visual Analogue Scale, VAS) score at three-time points (baseline (T0), three-(T1) and six-months (T2) follow-up). The repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) model was used to assess the QOL, QOL domains, and pain severity changes over time adjusted for age, place of residence, marital status, and Karnofsky Performance Status score at baseline. We