Psychological reactions in patients with malignant melanoma.
Psychological and psychosomatic reactions to malignant melanoma were studied, comparing patients with tumour thickness < or = 0.8 mm versus > 0.8 mm and recurrent versus non-recurrent patients. Gender differences were also studied. Consecutive melanoma patients, Stage I (n = 144), were interviewed at their first postsurgery follow-up visit to an oncology clinic and completed questionnaires 7 and 13 months later. The questionnaire contained items regarding interest in nevi, sleeping problems, psychosomatic complaints, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Patients with a more unfavourable prognosis (tumour thickness > 0.8 mm), subjected to regular medical procedures, did not differ from those with a more favourable prognosis (< or = 0.8 mm), except reporting more sleeping problems. Women had considerably higher levels of problems than men. Amongst patients with an unfavourable prognosis, those with recurrence within 2 years showed lower levels of anxiety at the first visit compared with those free from recurrence after 2 years.
Brandberg
Y
Y
Psychosocial Unit, Radiumhemmet, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Månsson-Brahme
E
E
Ringborg
U
U
Sjödén
P O
PO
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011379:Prognosis; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000150:complications; D016353:Self-Examination; D012737:Sex Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000150:complications