Diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast has increased with more widespread use of screening mammography. Although there is considerable research about quality of life (QOL) in women with invasive breast cancer, there is little pertaining to QOL in women with DCIS, and there are no longitudinal QOL studies comparing women with DCIS, women with early-stage (Stages I and II) breast cancer, and women without breast cancer. Therefore, this study will describe and compare QOL among these three groups of women.
The specific aims are to 1) characterize the QOL of women with DCIS over time, 2) Identify differences in the QOL over time among DCIS and early-stage breast cancer patients and healthy controls, and 3) identify predictors of QOL among women with DCIS from among demographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors assessed at baseline. DCIS and breast cancer patients will be identified prospectively by collaborating surgeons. Women with normal or benign mammograms will be identified prospectively at I time of screening and randomly selected for the control group after being matched by age group (40-49, 50-69, and 70+) with the patients. Recruitment letters signed by the collaborating surgeons or radiologist (controls) will be mailed with consent forms and followed up with a telephone call to answer questions. Following consent, telephone interviews at 1 month, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years after surgery (patients) or after a screening mammogram (controls) will be used to collect data. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B) will be used to compare QOL of women with DCIS and early breast cancer and the RAND 36-Item Health Survey 1.0 wilt be used to compare the QOL between healthy controls and women with DCIS and early breast cancer. In addition, data about demographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors that may be important predictors of QOL will be collected. Differences in QOL among the three groups over time will be tested using generalized estimating equations. Multi-level models, which take into account the longitudinal approach of the study, will identify predictors of QOL among the three groups. Findings from this study may lead to ways to improve the QOL of women diagnosed with DCIS.
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