Congress logo
Back to Conference page

UICC World Cancer Congress 2006

Bridging the Gap: Transforming Knowledge into Action

July 8-12, 2006, Washington, DC, USA

Sunday, 9 July 2006 - 12:00 PM
11-20

Symptom distress, quality of life and illness challenges according to race and income in metastatic breast cancer

Margaret Rosenzweig, PhD1, Theresa Wiehagen, BA1, Robert Arnold, MD2, and Adam Brufsky, MD, PhD3. (1) Acute and Tertiary Care, University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, 3500 Victoria Street, 329-A, School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, (2) Chief, Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 3459 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, 15213, (3) Breast Oncology, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute at Magee Womens Hospital, 300 Halket Street, Pittsburgh, PA 16213

Objective: The aims of this mixed methods study are: 1) to identify quality of life, symptom distress and strengths and challenges during MBC treatment and 2) to determine if these variables differ according to race and income.

Methods: Urban, breast cancer center. Women with MBC were categorized into four groups based on white or African American race, (W/AA) according to self report and low and high income (LI, HI) resulting in 4 groups, white low (WL), white high (WH), African American high (AAH) and African American low (AAL). Instruments were 1) Symptom Distress Scale (SDS), (higher scores /worse distress) 2) Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT), (higher scores /better QOL) and a 3) semi structured interview assessing MBC strengths and challenges. Universal and group themes were validated by content experts. Results: Preliminary results are for 51 women. Mean age was 58.2 years, with mean 24 months since MBC diagnosis. Quantitative data indicated worse quality of life in AA than white women. (P=0.06), with AALI women exhibiting worse symptom distress (P=0.03) as compared to white women.

Race/ Income N Mean SDS/SD Mean FACT/SD

AAL 7 34.9/11.8 61.4/15.1

AAH 7 25.1/8.9 58.8/15.1

WL 16 26.6/8.5 74.3/21.1

WH 21 25.6/10.8 72.0/18.4

Qualitative data (n=48) corroborated quantitative data. Prevalent themes among all groups were hope (33/48 - 69%), faith (28/48 – 58%) and progressive loss (29/48, 60%). AALI uniquely described physical (7/7,100%) and social distress (6/7, 86%) as well as uncertainty regarding treatment value (6/7 - 86%).

These findings of distress among AA women with MBC will advise tailored intervention.


See more of Cancer Supportive Care
See more of Cancer Supportive Care

See more of The UICC World Cancer Congress 2006