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Objectives: To evaluate health-related-quality-of-life and derive health-state-utility (HSU) from breast cancer patients, before and after routine therapy at a Brazilian reference public cancer center.
Methods: In a prospective cohort study, a consecutive sample of outpatients newly diagnosed with breast cancer was submitted to two interviews (baseline, 6-month) to complete EQ-5D-3L/VAS and EORTC-QLQ-C30/BR23 questionnaires. Demographic and clinical information was reviewed from medical records.
Results: For 196 patients, EQ-5D domains of pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression were mainly affected, but partially improved overtime, while mobility/usual activities/self-care worsened after therapy. EORTC-QLQ-C30/BR23 scales mostly affected were emotional functioning, insomnia, pain, sexual enjoyment and future self-health perspective at baseline, while financial difficulties, insomnia, fatigue and therapy side-effects at follow-up. Overtime mean scores were 71.4 (
95%CI
68.5-74.4) and 76.1 (
95%CI
73.3-78.8) for EQ-5D-VAS, and 0.712 (
95%CI
0.686-0.737) and 0.732 (
95%CI
0.707-0.757) for HSU. HSU was 0.689 (
95%CI
0.648-0.730) in stages III-IV, and 0.692 (
95%CI
0.652-0.731) under two/three chemotherapy regimens.
Conclusion: In a context of impairments in emotional functioning, sexual enjoyment, symptoms burden, and poor future self-health perspective, breast cancer produced a mean HSU of 0.712. After routine care, there was a small improvement in quality of life, with lower HSU particularly in advanced disease and multiple chemotherapy regimens.