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Quality‐of‐life research in patients with breast cancer
Author(s) -
Winer Eric P.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/cncr.2820741328
Subject(s) - medicine , quality of life (healthcare) , breast cancer , clinical trial , cancer , distress , intensive care medicine , clinical research , alternative medicine , quality (philosophy) , oncology , nursing , pathology , clinical psychology , philosophy , epistemology
Quality‐of‐life evaluation has gained increasing attention within the oncology community over the past 2 decades. The breadth of quality‐of‐life research in women with breast cancer has expanded substantially during this time. This paper reviews the status of quality‐of‐life research in women with breast cancer and explores several areas in which quality‐of‐life research can be of value. Descriptive quality‐of‐life studies in patients undergoing active treatment can identify the impact breast cancer treatment has on a patient's life. For patients who have completed treatment, research can detect areas of persistent distress. Quality‐of‐life assessment now is incorporated in many clinical trials. These data can provide a patient‐rated assessment of treatment and complement the traditional endpoints in clinical trials. Examples of selected quality‐of‐life studies in patients with breast cancer are presented.