Is psychological wellbeing impaired in long-term survivors of breast cancer?
OBJECTIVE
To measure anxiety and depression in long term survivors of breast cancer.


METHODS
Case-control study.


METHODS
Follow up of the trial of early detection of breast cancer in the South West Surrey Health District.


METHODS
331 patients with breast cancer aged 50-78, attending mammographic follow up, who had been invited to screening before diagnosis, and 584 controls who had attended the same clinic but did not have breast cancer. The sample included 290 pairs matched by screening attendance pattern and year of birth.


METHODS
Anxiety and depression scores on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.


RESULTS
Significantly fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression were reported by patients with cancer than by controls and significantly fewer had high scores suggesting the presence of psychological morbidity meriting treatment. Among the patients with cancer anxiety was more common at the first annual follow up than at later visits. Symptom scores were not significantly related to the manner of detection or to the type of initial treatment. Potentially confounding social and personal factors did not account for the differences between patients with cancer and controls.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of anxiety and depression is not increased in long term survivors of breast cancer who are apparently free from disease and is not substantially affected by the manner in which a cancer is detected or by the treatment given. In the light of these findings it is difficult to justify large "quality adjustments" to the estimates of recurrence-free years of life saved by screening. Those who counsel patients with breast cancer should be aware that although the initial distress can be severe, meriting psychological treatment, patients do recover their normal ability to enjoy life.
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D015995:Prevalence; D012008:Recurrence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors