People being treated for cancer can experience symptoms, such as nausea and fatigue. Some people have difficulty working during treatment because of these symptoms. The Breast Cancer and the Workforce studies seek to learn more about how treatment for breast cancer affects patients’ employment, financial situation, and quality of life.

Our Research

The IHCD Service’s research team, led by Victoria Blinder, is conducting two multi-institutional studies to examine the relationship between treatment for cancer and employment outcomes.

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

The purpose of this study is to learn more about how being treated for breast cancer affects patients’ employment, financial situation, and quality of life on a short-term and long-term basis. Most studies of employment after breast cancer have focused on white women. This study evaluates the impact of breast cancer on the lives of women from different ethnic groups.

Breast Cancer and the Workforce: Talking to Employers and Medical Staff about Work

The purpose of this study is to learn more about how chemotherapy for breast cancer affects patients’ employment. Researchers are assessing an early version of a mobile app, called TEAMWork (which stands for talking to employers and medical staff about work), designed to help people with breast cancer keep their jobs during and after chemotherapy. The app provides advice for people with breast cancer to use when having conversations about the disease with their employers and their doctors.

Contact Us

For more information on this research, please contact Maria Claros at [email protected].