Abstract PS1-02-28: Quality of life of women after breast surgery: report from Mirebalais University Hospital in Haiti

Abstract Background: Breast cancer remains the leading cause of female cancer mortality in low- human development index countries, including in Haiti. Treatment of breast cancer can impact patient’s quality of life (QOL). At the University Hospital of Mirebalais (HUM) in Haiti, due to the national absence of radiation therapy, patients treated with curative intent receive modified radical mastectomy (MRM) and systemic therapy with chemotherapy and hormonal therapy, as clinically indicated. This project aimed to measure QOL in women after breast cancer surgery. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in adult women with pathologically-confirmed breast cancer and who underwent MRM at HUM between January 2018 to December 2022. Clinical and treatment data were collected from the electronic medical records and paper charts, while a comprehensive survey was administered assessing QOL and potentially associated factors. Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy- Breast (FACT-B) 37-item questionnaire was used to assess the following domains: physical, emotional, social, and functional well-being, as well as breast cancer specific concerns; total score range is from 0-148, with higher scores representing better QOL. Hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) was also administered. These questionnaires were chosen due to broad use and prior validation in multiple settings; they underwent linguistic translation into Haitian Creole. Data were securely collected using Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) and Epi-Info version 7.2.5.0 was utilized for data analysis. QOL data were summarized descriptively in aggregate and by domain, groups were compared using non-parametric comparisons tests (Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests) and logistic regressions to explore potential predictors of anxiety and depression (cut-offs: HADS-A ≥8 for mild anxiety, HADS-D ≥15 for severe depression). Results: The study recruited 87 participants. The median age of the participants was 50 (interquartile range (IQR): 43-58). Educational attainment was modest, with 27 (31%) patients having only primary school level education and 41 (47%) patients reaching secondary school level. Most of the patients resided in the West department (60, 69%), most were post-menopausal (71, 82%), and 35 (40%) were married. Most patients (58, 67%) had locally advanced tumors, and majority (60, 69%) had an ECOG performance status of 1. Within this cohort, 86 (99%) received chemotherapy, and 78 (91%) received hormonal therapy. The total FACT-B score among all patients had a median of 111.5 (IQR: 97.2-122.7), reflecting generally good perceived quality of life. In summary, most demographic and clinical variables were not statistically significantly associated with QOL, except emotional well-being was notably lower among younger women (<50 years), and receipt of both neo- and adjuvant chemotherapy appeared to be negatively associated with well-being in aggregate and across multiple domains (physical, emotional and breast specific well-being). The total median HADS anxiety score was 8 (IQR: 6-11) and a depression score was 13 (IQR: 12-15), indicating at least mild anxiety and moderate to severe depression in most of the cohort. Again younger age (<50) was associated with higher rates of anxiety, while there was no clear association trend with depression among the factors that were explored. Conclusions: This study provides a summary of QOL and the prevalence of anxiety and depression among Haitian patients who underwent MRM. Younger patients had worse emotional well-being and more anxiety. The high prevalence of at least moderate depression in over 50% of patients indicates unmet psychosocial needs in this underserved population. The study highlights the need for improved mental health services for patients with breast cancer, especially for younger patients. Citation Format: F. Turenne, J. Merci, C. Mannley, G. Benoit, M. Guerrier, W. Guerrier, K. Dubique, S. Estanis, E. Durkin, T. Fadelu. Quality of life of women after breast surgery: report from Mirebalais University Hospital in Haiti [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2025; 2025 Dec 9-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2026;32(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS1-02-28.