MARIEII and MARIEIII

MARIEII and MARIEIII are follow-up studies of MARIE. At entry into the MARIE study, these women did not have breast cancer and were therefore in the control/comparison group. In 2011-2012, using a mail-in questionnaire, participants were asked about their health conditions in order to be able to assess changes in risk and protective factors for serious illnesses, especially for malignant tumors. The next survey of these women was in 2016.

• Description of the current intake of hormonal or herbal preparations for menopausal symptoms, comparison with the first survey and investigation of the causes of changes
• Analysis of usage behavior and the quality of care of early cancer detection examinations, as well as participation in mammography screening, especially after the introduction of nationwide breast cancer screening in Germany
• Comparison of the incidence of chronic diseases and of long-term quality of life in participants with breast cancer with the group of women who did not have breast cancer and
• Identification of related factors in order to define subgroups of women for targeted prevention or intervention programs in the future

• The use of hormone therapy for the treatment of menopausal symptoms decreased significantly compared to the first survey. An influence of hormone therapy on overall survival was not found.
• Women with a medium and higher level of education more often attended medical breast or gynecological examinations than women with a low level of education. However, all women attended a cancer screening less often than recommended.
• The general quality of life 10 years after breast cancer diagnosis was comparable to that of women of the same age without breast cancer.
• Serious chronic illnesses occurred with roughly the same frequency in both women with breast cancer and those without.

A more detailed presentation of the results can be found in the study report, and
further details can be found in the scientific publications.