A cohort study of permanently reduced work ability in breast cancer patients.

Purpose: The aims of this cohort study were to explore various longitudinal aspects of employment and disability pension due to permanently reduced work ability among women with breast cancer and to investigate the impact of breast cancer on income.

Patients And Methods: In a national register-based controlled cohort study from Norway, 1,548 women diagnosed with breast cancer (all stages) between 1992 and 1996 at the age 45-54 years and 1,548 cancer-free women matched for age, municipality and civil status were followed for up to 14 years. Medical data from the Cancer Registry of Norway were linked with longitudinal data on employment, social security benefits and socio-demography collected from other national official registries.