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Comorbidity burden in long‐term breast cancer survivors compared with a cohort of population‐based controls from the MARIE study
Author(s) -
Möhl Annika,
Orban Ester,
Jung Audrey Y.,
Behrens Sabine,
Obi Nadia,
ChangClaude Jenny,
Becher Heiko
Publication year - 2021
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.33363
Subject(s) - medicine , comorbidity , breast cancer , population , cancer , cancer registry , cohort , case control study , quality of life (healthcare) , confidence interval , cohort study , environmental health , nursing
Background The number of elderly cancer survivors is growing because of increasing survival rates. A high comorbidity burden in the elderly can affect their quality of life and survival. The aim of this study was to examine whether breast cancer survivors and population‐based controls have a different comorbidity burden after long‐term follow‐up. Methods This study used data from a German breast cancer case‐control study, which initially comprised 3813 breast cancer cases aged 50 to 74 years who were diagnosed between 2002 and 2005 and 7341 population‐based controls. Participants were followed up in 2014/2016. A modified Charlson Comorbidity Index (mCCI) was calculated to quantify severe comorbidities. Negative binomial regression was performed to estimate rate ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between case‐control status and mCCI (dependent variable) for the baseline population and for those who participated at follow‐up, with adjustments made for relevant lifestyle factors. Results In total, 1925 cases and 3674 controls participated in the follow‐up 12 years after recruitment. In the baseline population 35% had at least 1 comorbid condition.In long‐term survivors this proportion was 52%. No difference was found in the mCCI between breast cancer cases and controls at baseline (RR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.98‐1.11) or between long‐term survivors of the 2 groups at baseline (RR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.97‐1.18) or at follow‐up (RR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.91‐1.10). Conclusions The comorbidity burden of long‐term breast cancer survivors and controls increased over time; however, it remained similar in both groups after 12 years of follow‐up.