This pilot clinical trial studies questionnaires in identifying arms, shoulder, and neck (upper extremity) function and quality of life after treatment in patients with breast cancer. Patients may experience arms, shoulder, and neck impairments that negatively affect their functioning and quality of life after cancer-related treatment. Studying upper extremity function and quality of life in patients after breast cancer treatment may help doctors determine the prevalence and severity of long-term functional impairments and the relationship between the perception of impairments due to breast cancer treatment and its' impact on quality of life.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To characterize patients' upper extremity functionality (using the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand \[DASH\] questionnaire) and their perception of quality of life (using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast \[FACT-B\] questionnaire) one to ten years after breast cancer surgery and compare it to the general population. II. To investigate whether patients' upper extremity functionality and their perception of quality of life after completion of breast cancer treatment changes over the duration of time between 1 -10 years after breast cancer surgery. III. To characterize patient perception of the impact of breast cancer on their quality of life in relation to current upper-extremity functionality 1-10 years after breast cancer surgery. IV. To characterize patients' upper extremity functionality (using the DASH questionnaire) and their perception of the impact of breast cancer on their quality of life (using the FACT-B questionnaire) in a sub group of individuals with stable metastatic breast cancer 1-10 years after initial diagnosis and surgery. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To assist the multidisciplinary team to identify musculoskeletal barriers (if any) that impact a patient's long-term recovery with respect to the breast cancer treatments they have received. II. To assist in developing and implementing a physical therapy component within the Personalized Medicine to Breast Cancer Care Plan; this includes early detection of potential physical barriers, physical therapy intervention models, and development of survivorship planning for cancer-related musculoskeletal impairments. OUTLINE: Patients complete the DASH and FACT-B questionnaires over 30-45 minutes.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
36
Ancillary studies
Ancillary studies
Ancillary studies
USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
Los Angeles, California, United States
Patients' upper extremity functionally 1 to 10 years after treatment using DASH score
DASH scores ranges from 0-100 with 1 being the least disability and 100 indicating the most disability. Means and standard deviation of the DASH will be calculated separately for patients with stable metastatic disease and those without metastatic diseases. These means will be compared with the general population.
Time frame: Baseline
Patients' perception of quality of life (QOL) 1 to 10 years after treatment using the FACT-B score
The total FACT-B score ranks from 0-144, with a high score indicating a better QOL. Means and standard deviation of the FACT-B will be calculated separately for patients with stable metastatic disease and those without metastatic diseases. These means will be compared with the general population.
Time frame: Baseline
Discrepancy between the presence of physical impairments and patients' perception of QOL assessed using DASH and FACT-B scores
Using the distribution of the DASH and FACT-B scores reported in general population based studies, the percentile rank of each patient's DASH or FACT-B score will be calculated. Given that a higher DASH score indicates worse disability while a higher FACT-B score means a better quality of life, the percentile ranks for DASH will be subtracted from 100 and the remainder will be used as the percentile ranks for DASH for analyses purposes.
Time frame: Baseline
Time effect in the DASH score 1 to 10 years following treatment
A linear regression model will be used to examine whether there is a time effect in the DASH score with DASH being the independent variable and time after treatment being the predictive variable. Other factors that will also be investigated as affecting DASH score will include whether or not a patient had full axillary lymph node dissection or sentinel lymph node dissection, or whether or not a patient received radiation therapy or chemotherapy, etc. Interaction between these main effects and time will be included to assess differences in time effect.
Time frame: Baseline
Time effect in the FACT-B score 1 to 10 years following treatment
A linear regression model will be used to examine whether there is a time effect in the FACT-B score with FACT-B score being the independent variable and time after treatment being the predictive variable. Other factors that will also be investigated as affecting FACT-B score will include whether or not a patient had full axillary lymph node dissection or sentinel lymph node dissection, or whether or not a patient received radiation therapy or chemotherapy, etc. Interaction between these main effects and time will be included to assess differences in time effect.
Time frame: Baseline
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