Health - related quality of life of Kuwaiti women with breast cancer: a comparative study using the EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire

Background: The Kuwaiti perspective on quality of life (QOL) in breast cancer is important because it adds the contribution from a country where the disease affects women at a relatively younger age and seems to be more aggressive. We used the EORTC QLQ - C30 and its breast-specific module (BR-23) to highlight the health-related QOL of Kuwaiti women with breast cancer, in comparison with the international data, and assessed the socio-demographic and clinical variables that predict the five functional scales and global QOL (GQOL) scale of the QLQ - C30. Methods: Participants were consecutive clinic attendees for chemotherapy, in stable condition, at the Kuwait Cancer Control Center. Results: The 348 participants were aged 20-81 years (mean 48.3, SD 10.3); 58.7% had stages III and IV disease. Although the mean scores for QLQ - C30 (GQOL, 45.3; and five functional scales, 52.6%-61.2%) indicated that the patients had poor to average functioning, only 5.8% to 11.2% had scores that met the 66% criterion for more severe symptoms. Most (47.8%-70.1%) met the > 66% criterion for good functioning on the BR-23 functional scales. The mean scores of the QLQ - C30 indicated that, despite institutional supports, Kuwaiti women had clinically significantly poorer global QOL and functional scale scores, and more intense symptom experience, in comparison with the international data (i.e.,