Pan Arab Journal of Oncology

Background: Evaluation of the quality of life (QOL) among breast cancerpatients, after their exposure to the disease stress and therapeutic traumas is notperformed in Aden.Patients and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted to assessthe QOL of Yemeni patients with early stage breast cancer in Aden by using theFunctional Assessment of Cancer Treatment-Breast (FACT-B) scoring systemversion 4. The study enrolled 58 female patients who attended for follow-upinvestigations in the Central Public Health Laboratories – Aden branch, for theperiod from July to Sep. 2010.Results: The overall QOL score ranges from 40 to 134, with a mean of 77.6(median 74). The mean score for various subscales were: physical well being(GP) (21.3±3.2), social/family well-being (GS) (17.2±6.3), emotional well-being (GE) (18.2±2.1), functional wellbeing (GF) (7.8±2.7). The mean scoresfor breast cancer specific subscale (B) was 21.2 ± 5.4. Younger patients werehaving worse QOL in breast cancer specific concerns, except in B4 item (relatedto sexuality) when compared to older patients.Conclusion: This study concluded that Yemeni patients with early breastcancer are having lower QOL after treatment, this QOL was deteriorated amongyounger patients when compared to older patients.