Patient-reported health problems and healthcare use after treatment for early-stage breast cancer

A clear picture of treatment-related health problems following breast cancer treatment is useful in anticipating the informational and other needs of patients during follow-up. This study aimed to identify treatment-related health problems in breast cancer patients up to five years after diagnosis. Secondly, the use of care associated with these health problems was identified. 876 surgically-treated female patients diagnosed between 2012 and 2016 with early-stage breast cancer were asked to complete an online survey about their current health problems and use of care. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied to determine the effect of patient and treatment characteristics on health problems. 404 patients responded (46%). The median age was 62.0 years (SD:10.9). Apart from breast surgery, patients had been treated with radiotherapy (72%), chemotherapy (49%), anti-hormonal therapy (57%), and axillary dissection (21%). Ninety-three percent experienced one or more health problems. Over 50% of respondents experienced fatigue, psychological problems, and health problems regarding the breast, and/or musculoskeletal, central nervous, and reproductive system. Treatment with chemotherapy was significantly associated (p