Ethnic Differences in the Impact of Breast Cancer on Employment Status, Financial Situation, and Quality of Life

We will recruit participants from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), four of its community-based outpatient treatment centers, and six urban community hospitals that serve large populations of ethnic minorities in New York City. The MSKCC outpatient regional sites are located in New Jersey (Basking Ridge) and New York, with two in Long Island (Commack and Rockville Centre) and another in Westchester County (Sleepy Hollow).

Inclusion Criteria:

Breast cancer survivors

• Pathologic diagnosis of stage I-III breast cancer
• Paid employment (full time or part time) at time of consent or in the three months prior to diagnosis
• Age 18 to 64 years (inclusive)
• The ability to give informed consent in Chinese (Mandarin), English, Korean, or Spanish. At Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, patients must be able to give consent in English or Spanish. At Bellevue Hospital Center and Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center patients must be able to give consent in Chinese, English or Spanish.

Comparison group

Paid employment (full time or part time) at the time of consent

• Age 18 to 64 years (inclusive) and within an age range that is 5 years above or below that of the nominating or matched survivor
• The ability to give informed consent in the same language as the nominating survivor
• Membership in the same ethnic group as the nominating survivor
• Not treated for cancer in the past year (other than non-melanoma skin cancer)

Exclusion Criteria:

• N/A