Poster Presentation Cancer Survivorship Conference 2023

Frequency and severity of breast symptoms reported by women in the first year after breast conserving surgery and radiotherapy: a cohort study. (#115)

Nicola R Fearn 1 , Sharon Kilbreath 1 , Elizabeth Dylke 1 , Kirsty Stuart 2 3 4
  1. Sydney School of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  2. Westmead Breast Cancer Institute , Westmead Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
  3. Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
  4. Department of Radiation Oncology, Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Introduction

 

Treatment of breast cancer with breast conserving surgery and radiotherapy improves survival [1-4], quality of life and cosmesis [5] compared to mastectomy. Unfortunately, this treatment approach can lead to breast symptoms including pain, skin changes heaviness, hardness and breast swelling. The aim of this study was to explore the frequency and severity of self-reported breast oedema symptoms in the first year following breast cancer treatment and compare these to the frequency of reported arm symptoms.

Methods

Women who had breast conserving surgery and radiotherapy at a major hospital completed questionnaires at 3-months and 9-months following radiotherapy. Four questionnaires, including EORTC QLQ-BR23 (breast and arm symptom subscales), Breast Lymphoedema Severity Symptoms questionnaire (BLYSS), Lymphoedema Symptom, Intensity, and Distress Scale - Trunk (LSIDS–T) and Breast Oedema Bother (BOB) Scale were completed online or via telephone. Questionnaires explored the frequency, severity and distress caused by breast symptoms.

Results

A total of 167 women completed questionnaires at three-months and 157 completed questionnaires at nine-months post-radiotherapy. More than 50% of women experienced symptoms of breast swelling, pain, discomfort wearing a bra, uncomfortable feelings in the breast and breast hardness three- and nine-months post-treatment based on the BLYSS with swelling severity associated with increasing overall symptom burden.  A mean of 3.6 (range 0-11) soft tissue breast symptoms were reported based on the LSIDS-T. Mean overall breast bother was rated as 3.1 (three-months) and 2.7 (nine-months) based on the BOB visual (0-10) analogue scale. Using the EORTC-BR23, 15% of women reported “a little” to “very much” arm swelling compared to 41% reporting breast swelling on the same scale. Breast pain was more commonly reported than arm pain (57% versus 47%).

Conclusion

Women experience a variety of breast symptoms in the year following breast conserving surgery and radiotherapy and these are more commonly reported than arm symptoms.

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