Researchers debunk cancer myth

Quality of life for long-term breast cancer survivors is not affected by ethnicity, according to a recent study that appeared in the January 15th issue of Cancer.

Researchers examined the relationship between ethnicity and quality of life for 278 breast cancer patients, 117 of whom were black and 161 of whom were white. Overall, the study found that long-term breast cancer survivors had a good quality of life and viewed their health to be as good as women who did not have cancer or other life-threatening illnesses.

The study examined physical, psychological, social and functional well-being. Researchers asked participants about their life stress levels and health perceptions. Women who had better health perceptions, fewer stress factors, higher incomes, more education and partners enjoyed a higher quality of life, regardless of race.

"Race seems to play no role in determining the quality of life for long-term breast cancer survivors. However, socio-ecological factors, such as life stress, having a partner and levels of education and income were shown to be more relevant," said study co-author Kimlin Ashing-Giwa. "It's not a matter of race, it's a matter of context." PR