| Breast cancer is the leading cause of death among women in Panama, According to the National Oncology Institute Cancer Register figures, (2015) 12% of breast cancer deaths occurred in women under the age of 40. The tools used were the Health Utility Index (HUI) questionnaire and the EQoL-5D-3L questionnaire. The sample consisted of 125 women younger than 40 who were diagnosed with breast cancer at the National Oncology Institute and the San Fernando Oncology Clinic. The study results revealed approximately 50.4% of the study group used breast self-exam as the diagnostic method. Among the participants, 19.2% had an HUI of 1, which indicated they had an excellent quality of life and they were in a perfect health state. Of that 19.2%, 62.5% conducted breast self-exams as a diagnostic method. The most cost effective detection strategy was the mammogram, with a negative value incremental cost effectiveness ratio of -307.84. Results indicated that pain was the most frequent symptom, also pain, was affecting the quality of life of the participants in the study. |
