Serial Assessment of Urinary Incontinence in Breast Cancer Survivors Undergoing (Neo)Adjuvant Therapy

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Urology
• Quality of Life Research

Background:

• Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common concern for breast cancer survivors, often linked to cancer treatments.
• Early-stage breast cancer patients frequently experience urinary symptoms before and after therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prospectively assess urinary symptoms in early-stage breast cancer patients before and after (neo)adjuvant therapy.
• To identify factors associated with the prevalence and impact of UI on quality of life (QoL).

Main Methods:

• Prospective assessment of 203 early-stage breast cancer patients (Stage I-III) using the Urogenital Distress Inventory and Incontinence Impact Questionnaire.
• Data collected pre-treatment and 3 months post-treatment to categorize UI as prevalent, incident, or stable.
• Ordinal logistic regression used to analyze associations between UI, patient characteristics (e.g., BMI), and QoL impact.

Main Results:

• High UI prevalence (79.8%) reported at diagnosis, including overactive bladder and stress incontinence.
• UI prevalence increased with body mass index (BMI).
• Incident UI developed in a significant proportion of patients, and UI impact on QoL worsened with symptom severity and BMI.

Conclusions:

• Urinary incontinence is highly prevalent at breast cancer diagnosis and frequently develops or worsens after (neo)adjuvant therapy.
• The impact of UI on quality of life is substantial and associated with symptom burden and BMI.
• Effective treatment strategies for UI in breast cancer patients are necessary to improve QoL.