Psychological distress and breast self-examination frequency in women at increased risk for hereditary or familial breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
The Magnetic Resonance Imaging Screening study evaluates the efficacy and psychological impact of a surveillance program for women at increased risk for hereditary or familial breast cancer in the Netherlands. Surveillance consists of biannual physical examination, annual mammography, annual MRI and monthly breast self-examination (BSE).


OBJECTIVE
To examine the association between psychological distress and reported BSE frequency.


METHODS
Two months prior to surveillance demographics, BSE frequency, general distress (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the somatic scale of the Symptom Checklist-90) and breast cancer-specific distress (Impact of Event Scale) were assessed in 316 women (mean age 40.5 years, range 21-63 years).


RESULTS
The majority (57%) reported performing monthly BSE. Ten percent reported never performing BSE, 20% less frequently than once a month and 13% at least once a week. Women below the age of 40 who examined their breasts more frequently than recommended (i.e. at least once a week) were shown to be significantly more distressed than the other women in the sample (p = 0.03). These women represented 15% of all the women below the age of 40 years in our study sample.


CONCLUSIONS
Higher breast cancer-specific distress scores were observed among younger women who examined their breasts at least once a week. It is important for physicians to be aware of this hypervigilant behaviour, especially since it is correlated with breast cancer-specific distress.
van Dooren
S
S
Department of Medical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. s.vandooren@erasmusmc.nl
Rijnsburger
A J
AJ
Seynaeve
C
C
Kriege
A
A
Duivenvoorden
H J
HJ
Bartels
C C M
CC
Essink-Bot
M L
ML
de Koning
H J
HJ
Tibben
A
A
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D016504:Breast Self-Examination / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*