Quality-of-Life Assessment for Breast Cancer

Only about 7% got it. People who get it are about 4 to 6 years younger at the time of diagnosis. They are more likely to have been diagnosed with breast cancer at a younger age, and they are more likely to be African American and less likely to be college-educated.

For women over the age of 60 years, [breast cancer](https://www.withpower.com/clinical-trials/breast-cancer) is the second leading cause of cancer death in the US. Risk for breast cancer is influenced by a combination of environment and genetics.

Although there are multiple causes of breast cancer, it appears that environmental exposures, including radiation, chemicals, and hormones, play a role in women's breast cancer risk. Smoking does not alter the risk of breast cancer.

While it is impossible to cure [breast cancer](https://www.withpower.com/clinical-trials/breast-cancer), some patients do appear to be cured. Some have even undergone treatments for years in the belief that their disease is controlled, only to regain their cancer and be diagnosed again. Others only have had minor, early recurrences of cancer, such as at a local location, and feel that treatment of their cancer is unnecessary and unnecessarily stressful on their body. Some patients with distant, metastatic disease are known to have survived indefinitely, either due to their cancer recurrences being limited to less malignant parts of their body, or due to other unknown factors.

Some of the first noticeable signs of [breast cancer](https://www.withpower.com/clinical-trials/breast-cancer) include: lump or mass, nipple discharge, changes to or enlargement of the breast or the sensation that your breast is lumpy or has changed. A family history of breast cancer or breast disease also increases the likelihood of finding breast cancer. Younger individuals are also more likely to have symptoms, with about two in ten individuals being symptomatic, compared with around three in ten on average for those over 65 years of age. Women who are breast cancer survivors are at increased risk of breast cancer. For younger patients, a positive family history can increase the risk by as much as ten-fold.

Tumor size at diagnosis influences clinical outcomes and treatment; a good surgical resection is one of three main factors that determine survival rate. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy can minimize side effects and increase quality of life. Breast reconstruction is very important and may be used in some cases. Clinical trial design should consider the tumor size at diagnosis.

Patients diagnosed with breast cancer report increased quality of life after treatment, compared with patients reporting similar quality of life before diagnosis. QOL is perceived as highly valued by patients diagnosed with breast cancer.

It may not be possible to identify and target specific populations for breast cancer clinical trials, especially among women with a history of breast cancer and survivors, particularly those with recurrent disease who wish to avoid treatment as a risk factor for future recurrences. These women could possibly benefit from prospective studies, while minimizing the impact of potential adverse events from treatment decisions to be made in the absence of reliable information about long-term benefits and risks of treatment options for recurrent disease in particular.

The development of a clinical trial quality of life instrument should begin at its end. We believe our instrument may have the potential for use in the next generation of trials on the treatment of cancer; however, additional validation is necessary before its use in clinical trials is contemplated.

Contrary to popular opinion, women undergoing [breast cancer](https://www.withpower.com/clinical-trials/breast-cancer) treatment are generally not a younger generation of women than women not diagnosed and treated with cancer. The mean age for breast cancer survivors in the United States is 61.5 years. The average age of diagnosis is 49.6 years of age for women diagnosed with invasive carcinoma/metastatic breast cancer. For those women found to have synchronous or metachronous breast cancer, the average age diagnosed and treated is 50.9 years. The age group with the highest incidence of breast cancer among women diagnosed was the 80 years and older age group. Women over the age of 90 years accounted for a majority of breast cancer deaths among whites, African Americans, and Hispanics.

The research results published in journals, book and other sources continue to be updated constantly. It is not possible to summarize all the relevant data at this stage, although it is possible to summarize selected areas and list the main sources of relevant information.