Breast Cancer in Older Women: Quality-of-Life Considerations

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in older women. This paper reviews various approaches to the measurement of quality of life, the important quality-of life issues in the treatment of breast cancer, and what is known about the quality of life of older women with breast cancer. A number of studies suggest that older women adjust to breast cancer better than younger women and that they tolerate therapy as well as younger women. Ongoing and future research using newer approaches to quality-of-life assessment should provide additional information on this important topic.