Breast Cancer and Reconstruction: Normative Data for Interpreting the BREAST-Q

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Patient-Reported Outcomes
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• The BREAST-Q is a key patient-reported outcome instrument for breast cancer surgery and reconstruction.
• Established normative values are crucial for interpreting BREAST-Q data in clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish normative values for the BREAST-Q breast cancer modules.
• To provide a reference for interpreting patient outcomes after breast cancer surgery and reconstruction.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 1201 women via the Army of Women online community.
• Administered preoperative BREAST-Q scales (Mastectomy, Breast Conserving Therapy, Reconstruction).
• Utilized descriptive statistics, multivariate regression, and comparative analysis.

Main Results:

• Provided mean scores for Satisfaction with Breasts, Psychosocial Well-being, Sexual Well-being, Physical Well-being-Chest, and Physical Well-being-Abdomen.
• Identified lower scores in women with higher BMI, larger cup size, younger age, and lower income.
• Compared normative data to published findings, noting differences based on surgical procedure.

Conclusions:

• Presents the first published normative scores for BREAST-Q breast cancer modules.
• Offers a vital clinical reference point for data interpretation in breast cancer care.