INTRODUCTION: Sexual function is an important aspect of quality of life, and can be drastically affected in ill patients. Very few studies (and apparently none among Filipinas) looked into sexual dysfunction among females with breast cancer (BrCa); prevalence also is not well defined. This study evaluates the prevalence of sexual dysfunction among Filipino patients with BrCa, and assesses which treatment or if duration of illness, age, BMI, smoking history, diabetes, hypertension significantly contributed to the dysfunction.
METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted among BrCa patients consulting at the outpatient medical oncology clinic of a government tertiary hospital. Study population included those diagnosed and was with breast cancer over a 3-months period, with a calculated sample size of 60 (within 81±10% prevalence rate, Cl 95%). A validated translated version of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) 19-item questionnaire that looked into 6 domains (arousal, lubrication, desire, pain, orgasm, and satisfaction) was used. Sexual dysfunction was defined as an FSFI score of <26.55.
RESULTS: Of the 97 respondents, mean age was 49.4 years old and mean BMI of 24.8. About 78% received chemotherapy, 26% hormonal therapy. 15% radiotherapy, 82% modified radical mastectomy (MRM), and 71% received both MRM and chemotherapy at the time of interview. Duration of cancer was
months in 72% of subjects. There were 97.9% who had sexual dysfunction which is similar to prevalence rates (64-98%) in other studies. Age, BMI, smoking history, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chemotherapy, surgery, hormonal therapy, radiation therapy, and duration of illness were shown not to be significant predictors of sexual dysfunction among Filipinas with BrCa by bivariate analysis.
CONCLUSION: Sexual dysfunction is highly prevalent among female Filipino BrCa patients. Knowing such high prevalence should prompt health care providers to include interventions to improve quality of life of BrCa patients, including their sexual life.

Human ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Quality Of Life ; Breast Neoplasms ; Prevalence ; Body Mass Index ; Smoking ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Hypertension ; Medical Oncology ; Orgasm ; Arousal ; Lubrication ; Mastectomy

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer remains to be the leading cause of malignancy among women and survival rates vary worldwide. Molecular and immunohistochemical (NC) profiling of breast cancer has emerged to improve treatment, which led to 6 different breast cancer subtypes luminal-A, luminal-B, Her-2 enriched, basal-like, daudin low, and normal breast. Essentially, this guides clinicians as to the choice of treatment and prognostication of disease. This study evaluates the characteristics of the different IHC subtypes of breast cancer among Filipinos as to pattern of recurrence and time to progression (TIP) within their 1st 2 years of follow-up.
METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study, approved by the University of the Philippines Manila Research Ethics Board (UPMREB). Study population included breast cancer patients enrolled in the DOH-BCMAP and managed at the medical oncology clinics of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRRMMC) from 1 May 2011 to 31 December 2013. Patients' demographics, disease and treatment profile were gathered from the medical charts. Patients were grouped into 12 different IHC subtypes utilizing only IHC staining results of Her2neu, ER and PR. Disease progression/ relapse and time to progression (UP) were primary outcomes analyzed and compared between subtypes using SPSS.
RESULTS: There were 368 eligible patients; 50% were >50 years old, 48% postmenopausal, 34% stage IIA, and 94% had invasive ductal carcinoma. About 88% completed their chemotherapy regimen, mostly AC-T. At 1 to 2 years follow-up, 18% had disease progression, mostly distant metastasis, with HER2neu(-)/ER(-)/PR(-), HER2(+), and HER2neu(-)/ER(+)/PR(+) subtypes having the most number of disease progression. The HER2neu(-)/ER(-)/PR(-) subtype had the shortest median TTP (11 months 9sd). HER2(+) subtype had median TTP of 14±8 sd, while HER2neu(-)/ER(+)/PR(+) had median TTP at 11.6±7.41 sd. The median TTPs among the different IHC subtypes were statistically comparable.
CONCLUSION: Filipinas with non-metastatic breast cancer after surgery and mainly on adjuvant chemotherapy started to develop disease progression/ relapse within the first 2 years of follow-up; 82% had no relapse. At these early years of follow-up, the median TTPs among the different breast cancer IHC subtypes who went into relapse were comparable, although HER2neu(+) regardless of ER/PR subtype tended to have more disease progression, followed by HER2neu(-)/ ER(-)/ regardless of PR subtype, and then HER2neu(-)/ ER(+)/ regardless of PR subtype. IHC resultant HER2neu(+) regardless of ER/PR and HER2neu(-)/ER(-)/PR(-/+) subtypes can serve as early prognosticators of breast cancer relapse.  

Human ; Male ; Female ; Aged 80 And Over ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Breast Neoplasms ; Neoplasms ; Survival Rate ; Carcinoma ; Drug Therapy ; Medical Oncology