Objective To compare the effects of totally implantable venous access port (TIVAP) and peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) on the quality of life in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, and analyze the overall satisfaction, psychosocial status, and procedural pain.
Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted, enrolling 153 breast cancer patients who received chemotherapy in the Fourth People's Hospital of Sichuan Province between March 2023 and August 2024. Patients were divided into the TIVAP group (n=91) and the PICC group (n=62) based on catheter type. Baseline characteristics, catheter-related parameters and complication rates were recorded and the quality of life was assessed via the Quality of Life Assessment for Venous Devices (QLAVD) questionnaire. For between-group comparisons, independent samples t test was used for normally distributed continuous variables, and χ2 test or Fisher's exact test was used for unpaired categorical variables.
Results The TIVAP group demonstrated significantly higher overall satisfaction scores than the PICC group (8.99±0.97 vs 7.85±1.38, t=5.603, P<0.001). After adjusting for age, BMI, chemotherapy type, and chemotherapy cycle using multiple linear regression, the between-group difference remained statistically significant (β=-1.354, 95%CI: -1.788 to -0.921, P<0.001). Regarding psychosocial dimensions, the TIVAP group showed significantly lower proportions of patients affected in terms of clothing adaptability (17.6% vs 67.7%, χ2=39.417, P<0.001), daily showering (11.0% vs 59.7%, χ2=41.074, P<0.001), and exercise (18.7% vs 41.9%, χ2=9.869, P=0.002). Additionally, fewer patients in the TIVAP group reported appearance-related distress (13.2% vs 27.4%, χ2=4.863, P=0.027) and unwanted attention from others (12.1% vs 33.9%, χ2=10.579, P=0.001). However, TIVAP insertion was associated with greater procedural pain (2.99±1.08 vs 1.74±1.07, t=7.037, P<0.001). The overall complication rate in the TIVAP group was significantly lower than that in the PICC group (3.3% vs 16.1%, χ2=7.810, P=0.005).
Conclusion For breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, TIVAP offers distinct advantages in improving quality of life and reducing complications; although the insertion procedure is more painful, overall acceptance is higher.