Table 1. Demographics and clinical variables of the participants.
| Variable No. (%) | The intervention group (IG, n=95) | Loss of follow up (n=13) | P-value | The control group (CG, n=85) | Loss of follow up (n=19) | P-value | P-value (IG vs CG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 0.0642 | 0.8675 | 0.4451 | ||||
| ⩽40 | 26 (27.4) | 2 (15.4) | 24 (28.2) | 5 (26.4) | |||
| >40 and ⩽60 | 47 (49.5) | 4 (30.8) | 35 (41.2) | 7 (36.8) | |||
| >60 | 22 (23.1) | 7 (53.8) | 26 (30.6) | 7 (36.8) | |||
| Race | <0.001 | 0.0440 | 0.2831 | ||||
| Han | 90 (94.7) | 7 (53.8) | 77 (90.6) | 14 (73.7) | |||
| Other | 5 (5.3) | 6 (46.2) | 8 (9.4) | 5 (26.3) | |||
| Education | 0.7481 | 0.5644 | 0.3185 | ||||
| High school or lower | 54 (56.8) | 8 (61.5) | 42 (49.4) | 8 (42.1) | |||
| Undergraduate or higher | 41 (43.2) | 5 (38.5) | 43 (50.6) | 11 (57.9) | |||
| Income (monthly) | 0.3828 | 0.5364 | 0.0254 | ||||
| ⩽¥5000 | 37 (38.9) | 7 (53.8) | 34 (40.0) | 8 (42.1) | |||
| >¥5000 and ⩽¥10 000 | 41 (43.2) | 3 (23.1) | 23 (27.1) | 7 (36.8) | |||
| >¥10 000 | 17 (17.9) | 3 (23.1) | 28 (32.9) | 4 (21.1) | |||
| Relationship | <0.001 | 0.1331 | 0.3200 | ||||
| Single | 6 (6.3) | 4 (30.8) | 9 (10.6) | 2 (10.5) | |||
| Married | 81 (85.3) | 4 (30.8) | 65 (76.5) | 11 (57.9) | |||
| Divorced or widowed | 8 (8.4) | 5 (38.4) | 11 (12.9) | 6 (31.6) | |||
| Religious affiliation | 0.0360 | <0.001 | 0.1335 | ||||
| Yes | 19 (20.0) | 6 (46.2) | 10 (11.8) | 11 (57.9) | |||
| No | 76 (80.0) | 7 (53.8) | 75 (88.2) | 8 (42.1) | |||
| Employment | 0.1212 | 0.0528 | 0.1789 | ||||
| Part/full time | 37 (38.9) | 8 (61.5) | 25 (29.4) | 10 (52.6) | |||
| Unemployed | 58 (61.1) | 5 (38.5) | 60 (70.6) | 9 (47.4) | |||
| Menopausal status | 0.4873 | 0.4478 | 0.1030 | ||||
| Premenopausal or perimenopausal | 74 (77.9) | 9 (69.2) | 57 (67.1) | 11 (57.9) | |||
| Postmenopausal | 21 (22.1) | 4 (30.8) | 28 (32.9) | 8 (42.1) | |||
| Type of surgery | 0.3617 | 0.0467 | 0.3843 | ||||
| Mastectomy | 54 (56.8) | 5 (38.5) | 42 (49.4) | 7 (36.8) | |||
| Lumpectomy | 32 (33.7) | 7 (53.8) | 37 (43.5) | 7 (36.8) | |||
| Other | 9 (9.5) | 1 (7.7) | 6 (7.1) | 5 (26.4) | |||
| Chemotherapy | 0.4285 | 0.4698 | 0.7540 | ||||
| Ever | 59 (62.1) | 5 (38.5) | 47 (49.5) | 8 (42.1) | |||
| Current | 67 (70.5) | 9 (69.2) | 58 (68.2) | 14 (73.7) | |||
| Hormone therapy | 0.9160 | 0.7539 | 0.7542 | ||||
| Ever | 56 (58.9) | 5 (38.5) | 54 (63.5) | 12 (63.2) | |||
| Current | 31 (32.6) | 3 (23.1) | 27 (31.8) | 5 (26.3) | |||
| Radiation therapy | 0.7484 | 0.3421 | 0.7737 | ||||
| Ever | 40 (42.1) | 5 (38.5) | 44 (51.8) | 8 (42.1) | |||
| Current | 12 (12.6) | 2 (15.4) | 15 (17.6) | 5 (26.3) | |||
| Oestrogen-receptor status | 0.2280 | 0.1208 | 0.3933 | ||||
| Positive or equivocal | 53 (55.8) | 4 (30.8) | 53 (62.4) | 7 (36.8) | |||
| Negative | 31 (32.6) | 7 (53.8) | 20 (23.5) | 8 (42.1) | |||
| Unknown | 11 (11.6) | 2 (15.4) | 12 (14.1) | 4 (21.1) | |||
| Sites of metastases | 0.0133 | 0.7913 | 0.4736 | ||||
| Any visceral | 32 (33.7) | 9 (69.2) | 33 (38.8) | 8 (42.1) | |||
| Nonvisceral only | 63 (66.3) | 4 (30.8) | 52 (61.2) | 11 (57.9) | |||
| ECOG performance status | 0.0098 | 0.0950 | 0.8105 | ||||
| 0 | 35 (36.8) | 3 (23.1) | 35 (41.2) | 8 (42.1) | |||
| 1 | 48 (50.5) | 4 (30.7) | 39 (45.9) | 5 (26.3) | |||
| 2 | 12 (12.6) | 6 (46.2) | 11 (12.9) | 6 (31.6) | |||
| Estimated survival | 0.8378 | 0.1448 | 0.9867 | ||||
| 6–12 months | 23 (24.2) | 3 (23.0) | 21 (24.7) | 7 (36.8) | |||
| 12–24 moths | 43 (45.3) | 5 (38.5) | 39 (45.9) | 4 (21.1) | |||
| >24 months | 29 (30.5) | 5 (38.5) | 25 (29.4) | 8 (42.1) |