Hot flash, sleep disturbance and adherence to hormonal therapy in breast cancer women

  • Chen, Mei-Ling (PI)
  • Chang, Hsien Kun (CoPI)
  • Chen, Shin-Cheh (CoPI)
  • Lee, Jian Tao (CoPI)
  • Liao, Mei-Nan (CoPI)
  • Lin, Yung-Chang (CoPI)

Project: National Science and Technology CouncilNational Science and Technology Council Academic Grants

Project Details

Abstract

Hot flash (HF) is the most frequent menopausal symptoms experienced by breast cancer survivors after adjuvant chemotherapy or hormonal therapy for prevention of disease recurrent. The trajectory and impact of HF have not been well studied. Using bother subjective and objective measurements, this longitudinal study is aimed to understand the hot flashes experience (including occurrence, severity, interference with daily function and change pattern), and the impact of hot flashes on sleep disturbance, quality of life, and treatment adherence in breast cancer women. One hundred and fifty breast cancer women who meet the following criteria will be recruited: (1) aged 18 and above, (2) has been diagnosed with breast cancer and scheduled to receive chemotherapy or hormonal therapy, (3) has to be pre-menopausal or peri-menopausal at diagnosis, (4) able to read or communicate with Chinese, and (5) does not have defibrillator implanted (so that it is safe to wear sternal skin conductance monitor). Qualified patients will be assessed at baseline (i.e., before chemotherapy), end of chemotherapy (before hormonal therapy), and every 6 months up to 2 years after hormonal therapy. Subjective hot flashes experience will be assessed using subjective hot flashes diary and the Hot Flash Related Interference Scale (HFRIS). Sternal skin conductance monitor will be used to objectively measure hot flashes frequency. Sleep disturbance will be assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and wrist actigraph. Adherence to hormonal therapy will be assessed using the self-reported Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS) and medication possession ratio (MPR) computed from prescription records. Other menopausal symptoms will be measured by the Greene Climacteric Scale (GCS) and the 18 symptoms from the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy for patients with Endocrine Symptoms (FACT-ES). Quality of life will be assessed using the 28-item FACT-general that has been incorporated as a core component in the FACT-ES. Data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics, hierarchical linear models, and latent class analysis.

Project IDs

Project ID:PC10202-0340
External Project ID:NSC101-2314-B182-078-MY3
StatusFinished
Effective start/end date01/08/1331/07/14

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