Exploring the Impact of Personality Trait Clusters on the Quality of Life of Breast Cancer Survivors: An 18-Month Prospective Follow-Up Study.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the impact of personality trait clusters on the quality of life (QoL) of breast cancer survivors (BCS) during the first 18 months following diagnosis.

METHODS

A cohort of 476 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients was recruited between January 2017 and August 2018 from a single academic hospital in Seoul, Korea. Five-factor models of personality traits were assessed at baseline. QoL evaluations were performed prior to surgery and up to 18 months post-surgery. K-means clustering analysis was employed to construct personality clusters. Long-term QoL trajectories in BCS were compared between clusters, adjusting for individual resilience. Furthermore, a polygenic risk score (PRS) for neuroticism was calculated, exploring its relationships with neuroticism and personality trait clusters identified in this study.

RESULTS

Cluster analysis suggested that a two-cluster model was more appropriate than a three-cluster model. The two clusters were characterized by (1) low neuroticism and high scores in the other four traits, and (2) high neuroticism and low scores in the other four traits. Patients in cluster 2 exhibited significantly lower baseline QoL scores compared to those in other clusters, from baseline through 18 months post-surgery. The PRS for neuroticism showed a significant association with neuroticism scores (p = 0.032) after adjusting for age and depression scores. No significant differences in PRS were observed between the clusters. Additionally, the PRS for neuroticism was not significantly associated with QoL.

CONCLUSION

Our findings underscore the influence of individual personality traits on long-term QoL in BCS. These results suggest the potential for targeted interventions to enhance long-term QoL based on personalized personality profiles.