WOMEN WITH BREAST-CANCER - THEIR QUALITY-OF-LIFE FOLLOWING A COURSE OF RADIATION-THERAPY

The study assessed the quality of life of 53 women who had a lumpectom y or other breast-conserving surgery for breast cancer followed by rad iation therapy. The women were interviewed a mean of 7 weeks after the course of radiation therapy regarding their functioning, emotional di stress, and symptoms. Functioning was measured by the Sickness Impact Profile, emotional distress by the Profile of Mood States, and symptom s by the Symptom Distress Scale. Although the women were not experienc ing many changes in their usual activities, were not distressed emotio nally, and were experiencing very few symptoms, they were experiencing fatigue. Those who experienced the most fatigue had the most symptoms and the poorest level of functioning.