Quality of life in patients with breast cancer with neoadjuvant chemotherapy: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this systematic review were to assess the impact of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) on breast cancer (BC) patients’ quality of life (QOL), to compare the different regimens of NAC on BC patients’ QOL, to compare NAC versus adjuvant chemotherapy on BC patients’ QOL and to identify predictors of QOL on patients with BC receiving NAC. DESIGN: The design used Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. DATA SOURCES: Cinahl, Embase, Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane library and PsycINFO were searched through 27 December 2021. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: The inclusion criteria were included: patients with BC receiving NAC, outcome measures related to QOL and published in English. The exclusion criteria were included: duplicates or overlapping participants, not original research, data or full text not available and qualitative study. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two independent reviewers used standardised methods to search, screen and code included studies. The risk of bias in individual studies was evaluated with Cochrane collaboration’s tool for assessing risk bias, Newcastle Ottawa Score or Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tool. This systematic review performs narrative synthesis based on several different themes. RESULTS: The initial search resulted in 2994 studies; 12 of these studies fulfilled inclusion criteria. There was no significant difference in the QOL of BC before and after NAC, but patients experienced adverse reactions and depression during chemotherapy. Different regimens of NAC have different effects on patients’ QOL. Patients with NAC had more severe physical discomfort than those with adjuvant chemotherapy. However, BC patients’ QOL can be improved by intervening on social or family support, and these predictors, including chronotype, QOL before NAC and depression. CONCLUSIONS: More original research is needed in future to understand the profile and predictors of QOL in patients with BC on NAC, which will help clinicians and patients make decisions and deal with NAC-related issues.