Psychological distress in patients with breast cancer after different antitumor treatments

Abstract

To investigate the psychoemotional status of patients with breast cancer after different antitumor treatments, the authors used the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Psychopathological Symptom Inventory to examine 172 patients in different follow-up periods. The investigation showed that after 5–7 days, anxiety levels were elevated in all patients after radical mastectomy (RME), in all patients after radical resection (RR) and in 53 % after primary reconstructive surgery (RS). In the same periods, the signs of depression were absent in 20.7 % and a depressive state was detected in 79.3 % of the patients in all the groups. One year later, the mean anxiety values that had been at the critical level declined in the patients after RME and after RS, but increased in those after RR. The signs of depression were absent in 32.7 % of the patients; in all the groups subclinical and clinical depression was found in 44 and 23.3 %, respectively. The degree of psychological distress depended on surgical treatment volume, RR and RS failing to protect the patients from its progression. Three-four years after treatment, the total distress index was twice higher in patients after combined treatment than in those after multimodality one. Psychological testing can reveal distress signs that may negatively affect patients» compliance.

Keywords

• breast cancer
• psychological distress
• radical mastectomy radical resection
• reconstructive surgery
• antitumor treatment