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Impact of Cosmetic Care on Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients during Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy: An Initial Randomized Controlled Study.

Written by: Titeca G, Poot F, Cassart D, Defays B, Pirard D, Comas M, Vereecken P, Verschaevec V, Simon P, Heenen M.

Source
Erasme University Hospital, Free University of Brussels, Belgium. geraldine.titeca@skynet.be

Abstract

BACKGROUND:
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and therefore represents a major problem in public health. Data from patients' self-report questionnaires provide valuable information about the side-effects that patients may view as having a significantly detrimental impact on their quality of life (QOL) and yet are not always recognized as important by healthcare professionals. Cosmetology is a specific care for patients and there is actually no scientific evidence regarding effects on QOL for women with breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE:
The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of cosmetic care on QOL in breast cancer patients during chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

METHODS:
We developed a prospective, multicentre, randomized, controlled study including 27 patients. All the patients had to fill in a French-validated dermatologic specific quality-of-life questionnaire to compare the QOL of the two groups, the cosmetic group and the control group, at three different times of the adjuvant treatment.

RESULTS:
The results show a statistically significant difference between the cosmetic group and the control group in two areas of QOL: mood state and self-perception of the disease.

CONCLUSION:
This study emphasizes the interest of cosmetic care in breast cancer patients. However, further larger trials are needed to confirm this study.