Study Findings from Danielle Laperche-Santos et al Broaden Understanding of Breast Cancer (Impact of public vs. private insurance coverage on quality of life of women with early-stage estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer): Oncology – Breast Cancer

2025 DEC 17 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at NewsRx Women’s Health Daily -- Investigators publish new report on Oncology - Breast Cancer. According to news reporting originating in Goiania, Brazil, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “Quality of life (QOL) data for the Brazilian population with breast cancer are scarce. This study aimed to evaluate QOL in Brazilian women with early-stage breast cancer treated with adjuvant endocrine therapy (ET) and to explore its relationship with patients’ clinical and social characteristics and type of healthcare insurance.”

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research, “We performed a cross-sectional study among women with early-stage estrogen receptor-positive (ER +) invasive carcinoma of the breast in Brazil. Eligible patients who had received locoregional care and had undergone adjuvant ET for more than 6 months were contacted in person during clinic visits. The EORTC QLQ-C30-V3 and QLQ-BR23 scales were used as questionnaires to assess the QOL of patients. From June 2021 to March 2024, 774 women with ER + early-stage breast cancer from 14 Brazilian institutions were contacted. A total of 347 women (44.8%) were treated at private institutions. The mean age was 56.5 years (SD 11.9). The median duration of ET use was 3.2 years (SD, 2.1). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that treatment at a public institution was a significant predictor of higher nausea and vomiting scores (p = 0.042), pain (p = 0.0008), financial difficulty (p < 0.0001), arm symptoms (p < 0.0001), and breast symptoms (p < 0.0001). In this cohort, patients treated at public institutions had lower QOL. Younger age (< 60 years), presence of comorbidities, and ovarian suppression associated with ET were key predictors of poor QOL.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “These findings provide insights for guiding the development of tailored interventions for the Brazilian population.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Impact of public vs. private insurance coverage on quality of life of women with early-stage estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 2025;215(1):26. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment can be contacted at: Springer, One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, Ny, United States. (Springer - www.springer.com; Breast Cancer Research and Treatment - http://www.springerlink.com/content/0167-6806/)

Our news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Danielle Laperche-Santos, CEBROM, Grupo Oncoclinicas, Goiania, Goias, Brazil. Additional authors for this research include Daniele Assad-Suzuki, Heloisa Resende, Fernanda Cesar Moura, Sulene Cunha Sousa Oliveira, Andrea Kazumi Shimada, Renata Arakelian, Anna Luiza Zapalowski Galvao, Bruno Santos Wance de Souza, Amanda Guimaraes Castro Custodio and Mona.

The publisher of the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment can be contacted at: Springer, One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, Ny, United States.

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)