Evaluating Symptom Burden Among Omani Women Newly Diagnosed with Breast Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy affecting women globally, significantly impacting their quality of life (QoL). This study aimed to assess the prevalence and severity of symptoms in newly diagnosed BC patients undergoing chemotherapy in Oman using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS-A); Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2022 and February 2024 at the Sultan Qaboos Comprehensive Cancer Care and Research Centre (SQCCCRC), University Medical City, Oman. The study included 105 Omani women, aged 18 to 60, diagnosed with stage I to III BC and undergoing chemotherapy. Symptom evaluation was performed using ESAS-A. Descriptive statistics were employed to summarize socio-demographic characteristics and clinical outcomes, while the Mann-Whitney U test and multiple linear regression analysis were used to examine associations between independent variables and symptom scores; Results: Out of 127 invited participants, 105 (82.6%) agreed to participate. The average age was 43.6 years (SD = 7.2). Fatigue (37.1%), poor well-being (30.5%), and drowsiness (27.6%) were the most commonly reported symptoms. Anxiety and depression affected 21.9% and 17.1% of participants, respectively. Linear regression analysis showed that having children was linked to higher fatigue and shortness of breath, while inversely associated with pain. A family history of chronic disease was significantly correlated with higher depression scores; Conclusions: This study is the first in Oman to utilize ESAS-A for assessing symptom burden in newly diagnosed BC patients undergoing chemotherapy. The findings highlight the importance of personalized symptom management and enhanced supportive care to improve patient well-being.