Assessment of Quality of Life and Safety in Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Letrozole as an Early Adjuvant Treatment.
10.4048/jbc.2018.21.2.182
- Author:
Yongsik JUNG
1
;
Soo Jung LEE
;
Juneyoung LEE
;
Woo Chul NOH
;
Seok Jin NAM
;
Byeong Woo PARK
;
Young Tae BAE
;
Sung Soo KANG
;
Heung Kyu PARK
;
Jung Han YOON
;
Je Ryong KIM
;
Se Hun CHO
;
Lee Su KIM
;
Byung In MOON
;
Sung Hoo JUNG
;
Chol Wan LIM
;
Sung Yong KIM
;
Ho Yong PARK
;
Jeongyoon SONG
;
Kwang Man LEE
;
Sung Hwan PARK
;
Joon JEONG
;
Hae Lin PARK
;
Sung Won KIM
;
Beom Seok KWAK
;
Sun Hee KANG
;
Young Up CHO
;
Geum Hee GWAK
;
Yong Lae PARK
;
Sang Wook KIM
;
Sehwan HAN
Author Information
1. Department of Surgery, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea. hanse@aumc.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Breast neoplasms;
Letrozole;
Quality of life;
Treatment
- MeSH:
Aromatase;
Asian Continental Ancestry Group;
Bone Density;
Breast Neoplasms*;
Breast*;
Chemotherapy, Adjuvant;
Cholesterol;
Consent Forms;
Female;
Humans;
Observational Study;
Quality of Life*
- From:Journal of Breast Cancer
2018;21(2):182-189
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: There are few reports from Asian countries about the long-term results of aromatase inhibitor adjuvant treatment for breast cancer. This observational study aimed to evaluate the long-term effects of letrozole in postmenopausal Korean women with operable breast cancer. METHODS: Self-reported quality of life (QoL) scores were serially assessed for 3 years during adjuvant letrozole treatment using the Korean version of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast questionnaires (version 3). Changes in bone mineral density (BMD) and serum cholesterol levels were also examined. RESULTS: All 897 patients received the documented informed consent form and completed a baseline questionnaire before treatment. Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered to 684 (76.3%) subjects, and 410 (45.7%) and 396 (44.1%) patients had stage I and II breast cancer, respectively. Each patient completed questionnaires at 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 months after enrollment. Of 897 patients, 749 (83.5%) completed the study. The dropout rate was 16.5%. The serial trial outcome index, the sum of the physical and functional well-being subscales, increased gradually and significantly from baseline during letrozole treatment (p<0.001). The mean serum cholesterol level increased significantly from 199 to 205 after 36 months (p=0.042). The mean BMD significantly decreased from −0.39 at baseline to −0.87 after 36 months (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: QoL gradually improved during letrozole treatment. BMD and serum cholesterol level changes were similar to those in Western countries, indicating that adjuvant letrozole treatment is well tolerated in Korean women, with minimal ethnic variation.
