19P - Musculoskeletal pain and health-related quality of life among breast cancer patients

Background

The musculoskeletal pain is one of the leading health problems among women. This study aims to examine the associations between musculoskeletal pain and health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) among breast cancer patients and women without a history of breast cancer.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 68 breast cancer patients for an average of 3.5 years and 137 postmenopausal women without a history of cancer. Musculoskeletal pain was assessed using a 10-cm visual analog scale; HR-QOL was examined using the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form (SF-36) health survey. Linear regression was used to estimate the associations between pain and HR-QOL in both groups.

Results

Approximately 64 % of the breast cancer patients andwomen in the comparison group reported musculoskeletal pain.Among women with breast cancer, those with pain had significantlylower HR-QOL scores in the physical (52.2 vs. 42.6;p<0.001) and mental (52.7 vs. 45.5; p=0.01) component summary scores compared with those without pain. In the comparisongroup, pain was associated with significantly lower scores in the physical (55.4 vs. 46.0; p<0.001), but not the mental, component summary score (52.1 vs. 52.4; p=0.82). The significantassociations between pain and HR-QOL persisted afterconfounder adjustment in both groups. Among women withsimilar severity of pain, breast cancer patients reported significantlylower HR-QOL in the mental summary component compared with the women in the comparison group.

Conclusions

Among breast cancer patients, musculoskeletal pain adversely affects both mental and physical components of HR-QOL. Preventing or treating musculoskeletal pain may improve overall HR-QOL among breast cancer patients.

Clinical trial identification

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

The author.

Funding

Has not received any funding.

Disclosure

The author has declared no conflicts of interest.