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Cited by 233Cancer survivorship and careWomen's cancer prevention and managementHealth disparities and outcomes

Social networks, social support mechanisms, and quality of life after breast cancer diagnosis

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Kroenke, Candyce H., Kwan, Marilyn L., Neugut, Alfred I., Ergas, Isaac J., Wright, Jaime D., Caan, Bette J., Hershman, Dawn, Kushi, Lawrence H.·2013·Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
DOI 10.1007/s10549-013-2477-2PMC PMC3906043
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Abstract

We examined mechanisms through which social relationships influence quality of life (QOL) in breast cancer survivors. This study included 3,139 women from the Pathways Study who were diagnosed with breast cancer from 2006 to 2011 and provided data on social networks (the presence of a spouse or intimate partner, religious/social ties, volunteering, and numbers of close friends and relatives), social support (tangible support, emotional/informational support, affection, positive social interaction), and QOL, measured by the FACT-B, approximately 2 months post diagnosis. We used logistic models to evaluate associations between social network size, social support, and lower versus higher than median QOL scores. We further stratified by stage at diagnosis and treatment. In multivariate-adjusted analyses, women who were characterized as socially isolated had significantly lower FACT-B (OR = 2.18, 95 % CI: 1.72-2.77), physical well-being (WB) (OR = 1.61, 95 % CI: 1.27-2.03), functional WB (OR = 2.08, 95 % CI: 1.65-2.63), social WB (OR = 3.46, 95 % CI: 2.73-4.39), and emotional WB (OR = 1.67, 95 % CI: 1.33-2.11) scores and higher breast cancer symptoms (OR = 1.48, 95 % CI: 1.18-1.87) compared with socially integrated women. Each social network member independently predicted higher QOL. Simultaneous adjustment for social networks and social support partially attenuated associations between social networks and QOL. The strongest mediator and type of social support that was most predictive of QOL outcomes was "positive social interaction." However, each type of support was important depending on outcome, stage, and treatment status. Larger social networks and greater social support were related to higher QOL after a diagnosis of breast cancer. Effective social support interventions need to evolve beyond social-emotional interventions and need to account for disease severity and treatment status.

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  • Feeling connected and understood in cancer patients is important and sometimes cannot be met by family and friends not affected by cancer.

    “This matches previous research highlighting the importance of feeling connected and understood in cancer patients 102,103 which sometimes cannot be met by family and friends not affected by cancer. 102-104”

    From How do mindfulness-based interventions promote coping and self-efficacy in patients with cancer: A systematic review of qualitative and quantitative data (2024) · cites this paper as [103]

    The Discussion links emotional support with better psychological quality of life, supporting the importance of connection for women with breast cancer. It speculates that avoiding discussions of cancer with well-meaning loved ones may be burdensome, but does not establish that family and friends who have not had cancer cannot meet patients’ need to feel understood. (LLM, conf=0.83)

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  1. [42]Daling JR Malone KE Doody DR Johnson LG Gralow JR Porter PL Relation of body mass index to tumor markers and survival among young women with invasive ductal breast carcinoma Cancer 2001 92 4 720 729 11550140

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Authors
Kroenke, C. H., Kwan, M. L., Neugut, A. I., Ergas, I. J., Wright, J. D., Caan, B. J., Hershman, D., & Kushi, L. H.
Affiliations
  • Kaiser Permanente (US)
  • Columbia University (US)
  • Graduate Theological Union (US)
Corresponding author
Kroenke, Candyce H.
ORCID
Venue
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2013-05-09
Volume
139
Issue
2
Pages
515-527
ISSN
  • 0167-6806 (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-7217
DOI
10.1007/s10549-013-2477-2
PMC
PMC3906043
OpenAlex
W2038597076
Cited by
233
References
46
Citations by year
2026: 17 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 23 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 4
FWCI
7.50
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations
  • Breast Cancer Research and Treatment (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Cancer Institute (R01CA105274)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Women's cancer prevention and management
  • Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
Keywords
breast cancer survivors, quality of life, social networks, social support, social isolation, social integration, positive social interaction, emotional support, tangible support, breast cancer symptoms, stage at diagnosis, treatment status, Pathways Study
MeSH terms
Adult, Aged, Breast Neoplasms, Female, Humans, Middle Aged, Prognosis, Quality of Life, Social Support, Social Networking

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