Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29740782›Full record

ArticleQuality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation2018

Quality of life, problems, and needs of disease-free breast cancer survivors 5 years after diagnosis.

Martina E Schmidt, Joachim Wiskemann, Karen Steindorf

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 116 papers, 12 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
116citing papers in PubMed, 12 pooled it
6.9field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

116 citing papers in PubMed, 12 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 224 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Resistance training for fatigue in people with cancer.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2024
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  4. Psychosocial experiences of breast cancer survivors: a meta-review.Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice · 2024
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56 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Martina E SchmidtDivision of Physical Activity, Prevention and Cancer, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 581, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany. m.schmidt@dkfz.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2095-2426
Joachim WiskemannDivision of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 460, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Karen SteindorfDivision of Physical Activity, Prevention and Cancer, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 581, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
German Cancer Research Center · DEHeidelberg University · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeAfter cancer treatment, it is desirable to maintain or regain a high quality of life (QoL) and the ability to accomplish everyday tasks well. Therefore, we substantiated the scarce knowledge regarding long-term QoL after breast cancer, burdensome problems, and unmet needs for more support.

methodsDisease-free breast cancer survivors (n = 190) who had participated in two randomized controlled exercise trials during primary treatment were followed up to 5 years post-diagnosis. QoL-related functions and symptoms (EORTC QLQ-C30/-BR23), health problems, and support needs were assessed. EORTC-QLQ scores were compared with age-matched normative values from the general population in Germany.

resultsQoL-related functions and symptoms in patients during cancer treatment were worse compared to healthy references, but largely improved over time. Yet, cognitive function and sleep were still significantly impaired at 5-year follow-up. Other common long-term problems included sexual issues (45% of survivors), hot flashes (38%), pain (34%), fatigue (24%), and polyneuropathy (21%). Regression analyses indicated fatigue having the strongest impact on global QoL. Support needs were expressed mainly for menopausal disorders (43%), physical performance (39%), sleep problems (38%), arthralgia (37%), cognitive problems (36%), weight problems (32%), and fatigue (31%).

conclusionsWhile QoL in disease-free breast cancer survivors 5 years post-diagnosis was largely comparable to the general population on average, still many survivors suffered from adverse effects. There appears to be a need for ongoing screening and support regarding fatigue, sleep problems, cognitive problems, arthralgia/pain, menopausal/sexual symptoms, physical performance, and weight problems during and several years following breast cancer therapy.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsCancer SurvivorsDisease-Free SurvivalFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMiddle AgedQuality of LifeSurveys and QuestionnairesBreast cancer survivorsCognitive functionFatigueLong-term quality of lifeMenopausal symptomsSleep problems

Identifiers

PMID29740782
OpenAlexW2800827876

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.