Results of a major prospective cohort study published in Jama Network Open Indicate that the breast cancer survivors who have undergone chemotherapy underwent prolonged drop in physical health, while those who received endocrine treatment without chemotherapy did not do so.1
After 5 years, the greatest drop was with chemotherapy alone, followed by chemotherapy as well as endocrine therapy and endocrine therapy.
Compared with Women Who Did Not Have Breast Cancer, The Physical Decline Within 2 Years of Diagnosis was greatest in Patients who Receed Both Chemotherapy and Endocrine Therapy (β = −3.26; 95% CI, −3.97 to −2.55) Followed by patients who received Chemotherapy Alone (β = −3.13; 95% CI, −4.19 to −2.07) and patients who receive endocrine therapy alone (β = −1,12; 95% CI, −1,64 to −0.60).
From 2 to 5 years old, the greatest drop was chemotherapy and endocrine treatment (β = −1.34; 95%CI, −2.07 to −0.61) then chemotherapy (β = −1.20; 95%CI, −2.32 0.14); From 5 years on, The Greatest Decline was with Chemotherapy Alone (β = −4.09; 95% CI, −5.91 to −2.27) Followed by Chemotherapy Plus endocrine Therapy (β = −1.65; 95% CI, −2.85 to −0.46) Therapy (β = −0.11; 95% CI, −1.07 to 0.85).
“Patients with breast cancer (have) an abundance of long -term effects and late health and are at risk of an earlier disease and a higher incidence of chronic health problems,” said Clara Bodelon, PHD, MS, the main scientist of surviving research of the American Cancer Society and author of the study, in a press release on the study.2 “This (study) encourages news for breast cancer survivors. If they do not receive chemotherapy, it is unlikely that they have a long -standing physical health. However, other studies are necessary to confirm these results and to better understand the consequences on the health of these treatments. ”
The study analysis included 15,392 women, of which 2566 were diagnosed with breast cancer and 12,826 were paired by age without cancer between 2006 and 2013, between 30 and 65 years of age without history of cancer other than non -melanoma skin cancer. Study surveys started in 2015.
The diagnosis occurred after 2015 in 53.6% (n = 1375) of patients, 82.2% (n = 2109) had hormonal and positive tumors, 54.8% (n = 1405) had a localized disease and 23.7% (n = 608) had breast cancer in situation. Among patients with breast cancer, 433 did not receive chemotherapy or endocrine therapy, 1223 received endocrine treatment, 276 received chemotherapy and 634 received chemotherapy and endocrine treatment.
The median age of patients affected and without breast cancer was 54.1 years (IQR, 47.7-60.0) and 54.1 years (IQR, 47.8-59.9), respectively. The majority of patients were white (89.5% and 89.4%), postmenopausic (48.3% and 50.3%) and had no diabetes (93.8% and 95.1%).
The health health health and 2018 survey assessments were carried out with the overall instrument Health V1.2 of the information system on the results of patients declared by patients. Promised has measured self -declaced physical health, physical function or the ability to carry out daily activities of daily life, fatigue and pain. The raw scores of these values have been converted, using the World Health Notation Manual, in standardized T scores. The basic statement assessment was the self -depressed element linked to physical health.
The majority of patients with breast cancer returned the 3 surveys (n = 2161, 84.2%), less only returned the basic surveys and 2015 (n = 273, 10.6%), and the least made the basic surveys and 2018 (n = 132, 5.1%).
After 5 years, with higher values indicating less good results, self-declaced physical health was β = 1.02 (95%CI, 0.79-1.33) with endocrine therapy, β = 2.25 (95%CI, 1.38-3.67) with chemotherapy and β = 1.74 (95%CI Daily was β = 1.07 (95%CI, 0.76-1.49), β = 2.49 (95%CI, 1.42-4.23) and β = 1.39 (95%CI, 0.93-2.03), respectively; 2.78 (95%CI, 1.68-4.60) and β = 1.33 (95%CI, 0.96-1.85); 0.78-1.54).
With regard to physical health, the drop in scores among those who received endocrine treatment was limited to women receiving aromatase inhibitors.
“The idea is that patients, as well as primary care physicians and the entire cancer care team, know the long -term consequences (of) treatments and can make appropriate decisions for each (patient),” said Bodelon in an interview with Cancernetwork®.
References
- Bodelon C, Masters M, Bloodworth of, et al. Physical health decreases after chemotherapy or endocrine therapy in breast cancer survivors. Jama Netw Open. 2025; 8 (2): E2462365. DOI: 10.1001 / JamanetWorkopen.2024.62365
- Endocrine chemotherapy and therapy have different long -term effects on the drop in physical health for breast cancer survivors, suggests a new study. Press release. American Cancer Society. February 28, 2025. Accessed March 4, 2025. Https://tinyurl.com/bddxvtjp