ADJUVANT CHEMOTHERAPY DOES NOT AFFECT EMPLOYMENT IN PATIENTS WITH EARLY-STAGE BREAST-CANCER

Citation
Pw. Bushunow et al., ADJUVANT CHEMOTHERAPY DOES NOT AFFECT EMPLOYMENT IN PATIENTS WITH EARLY-STAGE BREAST-CANCER, Journal of general internal medicine, 10(2), 1995, pp. 73-76
Citations number
NO
Categorie Soggetti
Medicine, General & Internal
ISSN journal
08848734
Volume
10
Issue
2
Year of publication
1995
Pages
73 - 76
Database
ISI
SICI code
0884-8734(1995)10:2<73:ACDNAE>2.0.ZU;2-O
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of adjuvant chemotherapy for the DESIG N: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: University-affiliated communit y hospital cancer center. PATIENTS: Patients who were 18 to 65 years o ld and were diagnosed as having breast cancer stages 0, I, II, and III a between January 1986 and January 1991 were contacted and asked wheth er they had been employed at the time of the diagnosis. The 145 patien ts who had breast cancer and who had been working at the time of diagn osis completed a questionnaire, which included questions regarding dem ographic characteristics, employment history, and the reasons for any period of unemployment. The 76 patients who had received adjuvant chem otherapy were compared with the 69 who had not. MEASUREMENTS AND RESUL TS: The main endpoint was return to work by one, three, six, and 12 mo nths after surgery. Of the 76 patients who had received chemotherapy, 70 (92%) had resumed work by 12 months after treatment began. Of the 6 9 who had not been treated with chemotherapy, 65 (94%) had resumed wor k in 12 months. The proportions of patients who had returned to work b y one, three, and six months were similar in the two groups. Regressio n analyses demonstrated no significant confounding or interaction of a djuvant treatment with age, menopausal status, marital status, years o f education, or type of job in regard to return to work. CONCLUSIONS: Adjuvant chemotherapy does not delay or prevent return to work in wome n treated for early-stage breast cancer.