Impact of Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment on Work-Related Life and Financial Factors

Abstract

Background: Survival rates of breast cancer patients are high, and the majority of women is <65 years old when first treated for breast cancer. The aim of our study is to assess work-related life factors and analyze the financial opportunities of breast cancer survivors and how this is reflected in the general quality of their lives.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, hospital-based monocentric questionnaire study of women diagnosed with breast cancer. Recruitment was carried out from January to March 2011 for women diagnosed with and treated for primary breast cancer between 2005 and 2010 at Charité University Hospital Berlin.

Results: The study included 492 breast cancer patients without recurrence. In total, 81.3% of the women returned to work, and 30.2% of the women felt a reduction of financial opportunities. Financial problems were named by at least 20% of the patients as being the main cause for a reduced quality of life.

Conclusion: Long-term, disease-free breast cancer survivors reported a significant change in their work-related factors as well as changes in their financial opportunities.

Keywords: Adjuvant therapy; Breast cancer; Employment; Finance; Survivorship; Work.