Experience of trauma, distress, and posttraumatic stress disorder among breast cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
Cancer would appear to be the paradigmatic example of an acute or chronic illness that can precipitate posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Few studies, however, have examined the applicability of PTSD criteria to patients with cancer. We examined the relationships between the experience of trauma, psychological distress, and PTSD among a waiting room sample of patients with breast cancer.


METHODS
We assessed 115 consecutive patients with breast cancer in the waiting room of a large comprehensive cancer center using measures of general distress, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and a semistructured diagnostic interview.


RESULTS
A substantial minority (41%) reported responding to cancer with intense fear, helplessness, or horror (DSM-IV A2 criterion). However, cancer-related PTSD was uncommon (4%), and meeting the A2 criterion was a poor indicator of PTSD. Psychological distress was common (38%) and was strongly associated with A2, but was a poor predictor of PSTD.


CONCLUSIONS
Although an intense negative emotional reaction to breast cancer was common, PTSD had low prevalence. Results suggest that using a trauma framework to understand the experience of most patients with cancer may be inaccurate.
Palmer
Steven C
SC
Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. stpalmer@mail.med.upenn.edu
Kagee
Ashraf
A
Coyne
James C
JC
DeMichele
Angela
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities; D015897:Comorbidity; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008016:Life Change Events; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology