Browsing by Subject "15D-instrument and EQ-5D-5L-instrument"

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide and the number of new events is on the increase. Like many other serious diseases, breast cancer reduces patient’s health related quality of life (HRQoL) and breast cancer treatment burdens our society. Examination of breast cancer patient’s HRQoL makes it possible to calculate how effective breast cancer treatments are. Nevertheless, only cost-effectiveness analysis would further help us allocate the resources of our society in the best way possible. The aim of this study was to produce research about breast cancer treatment’s effects on patient’s HRQoL and to compare generic 15D- and EQ-5D-5L-instruments. The results can be used in the future research and the study might be useful, when it’s time to develop international protocol for measuring HRQoL. The study population included 152 breast cancer patients who were treated in HUCH and whose HRQoL were measured by 15D-, EQ-5D-5L- and VAS-instruments. All measurements were done twice, first before the treatments and then six months after the beginning of the treatments. 89 (58.6 %) patients answered both 15D-questionnaires and 81 (53.3 %) patients answered to both EQ-5D-questionnaires. 57 (37.5 %) patients didn’t respond to any questionnaire. Only some background information was available of this population. The average HRQoL for breast cancer patients’ was 0.92 before the treatments and 0.88 six months after the beginning of the treatments when measured by 15D. The same average HRQoL was 0.86 before the treatments and 0.80 six months after the beginning of the treatments when measured by EQ-5D-5L. During six months’ period, patients HRQoL reduced (-0.04) when it was measured by 15D and (-0.06) when it was measured by EQ-5D. The changes of HRQoL were clinically important (The minimum important change, MIC > ± 0,015) when measured by 15D. HRQoL reduced more with patients who received a mastectomy than with patients, who received a breast conserving surgery according to both instruments. According to the results, the chosen instrument has an effect of breast cancer patients’ HRQoL. It means that the chosen instrument also has an effect of treatment’s effectiveness. 15D offers higher HRQoL values, but EQ-5D offers a greater change in patient’s HRQoL. HRQoL was measured by two different generic instruments in two different times, which was assumed to be the strength of this study. The new 5L-version of EQ-5D-instrument was also used. This is possibly the first time, when 5L is used in this type of study.