22P - Correlation of muscle strength and quality of life in Indonesian breast cancer patients who underwent chemotherapy

Background

Chemotoxicity may cause sarcopenia, representing a loss of muscle strength and mass, which reduces quality of life (QoL) and physical function. Most of the breast cancer patients underwent chemotherapy reported significant aftereffects. However, the evaluation of muscle strength and QoL were still limited. Hereby, the study aims to evaluate the correlation between muscle strength and QoL in Indonesian breast cancer patients.

Methods

Participants were breast cancer women who underwent chemotherapy. Muscle strength was measured with a JAMAR handgrip. Breast cancer patients were evaluated their QoL from global health status and functional status which compromises the physical functioning (PF), role functioning (RF), emotional functioning (EF), cognitive functioning (CF) social functioning (SF). Assessment was done using the EORTC QLQ-C30. The correlation was analyzed with Pearson and Spearman correlation test.

Results

A population of 80 breast cancer women was involved, with a mean age of 47.39±7.0, median BMI of 23.15 (7.86-47.26) kg/m2 and median muscle strength of 16.5 (3-29) kg. The majority of the patients were stage 2 on diagnosis (76.3%). Median score for each domains were as followed, global health status=66.67(0-100); PF=93.33(0-133.33); RF=100(0-133.33); EF=83.33(33.33-100); CF=100(16.67-100); and SF=100(0-100). Correlations were found between muscle strength and global health status (r=0.282, p=0.011), PF (r=0.373, p=0.001), RF (r=0.26, p=0.02) whilst no correlation with EF (r=-0.68, p=0.549), CF (r=0.038, p=0.738), and SF(r=0.214, p=0.056).

Conclusions

Muscle strength was correlated with quality of life, specifically in global health status, physical functioning, and role functioning in breast cancer patients. Overall, nearly all of the domains have good outcomes. Further assessment in patients’ nutritional status and physical activity were needed.

Clinical trial identification

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

The authors.

Funding

Has not received any funding.

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.