Health-Related Quality of Life in Women with Breast Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy in Brazil

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer (BC) is an austere public health problem, representing the most incident and prevalent malignancy among women worldwide. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the health-related quality of life of women with breast cancer undergoing initial and final stages of chemotherapy treatment. METHODS: It was descriptive, correlational, analytical, prospective cross-sectional study that included 80 women diagnosed with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Health-related quality of life was assessed in two phases. The first one was on the initial day of the treatment and the second, 120 days after started the chemotherapy. RESULTS: Eighty adult women were part of the study, whose average age was 52.54. Overall quality of life decreased due to chemotherapy. It was noted the negative impact that the emotional role, the sexual function and the concern about hair loss on health-related quality of life. It was observed that fatigue, nausea and vomiting, appetite loss, diarrhea were frequent symptoms in comparison between the phases. Sexual function and satisfaction were dissatisfying and worsened during chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: The quality of life related to the health of patients is negatively influenced during chemotherapy treatment, hence, requiring interventions in oncology and research in this sphere.