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Αλέξανδρος Γ. Σφακιανάκης

Thursday, August 19, 2021

Emotional Problems Prior to Adjuvant Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader

In Vivo. 2021 Sep-Oct;35(5):2763-2770. doi: 10.21873/invivo.12561.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/AIM: Being scheduled for radiotherapy can cause emotional distress. This study aimed to identify risk factors in 338 patients assigned to radiotherapy for breast cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Nineteen potential risk factors including the COVID-19 pandemic were investigated for associations with the six emotional problems included in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Thermometer.

RESULTS: Worry and fears were significantly associated with age ≤60 years; sadness with age and Karnofsky performance score (KPS) <90; depression with KPS and Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥3; loss of interest with KPS. Trends were found for associations between sadness and additional breast cancer/DCIS, Charlson Index and chemotherapy; between depression and additional breast cancer/DCIS, treatment volume and nodal stage N1-3; between nervous ness and additional breast cancer/DCIS, mastectomy and triple-negativity; between loss of interest and Charlson Index, family history of breast cancer/DCIS, invasive cancer, chemotherapy, and treatment volume. The COVID-19 pandemic did not increase emotional problems.

CONCLUSION: Several risk factors for emotional problems were identified. Patients with such factors should receive psychological support well before radiotherapy.

PMID:34410966 | DOI:10.21873/invivo.12561

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