Long-term psychosocial adjustment of older vs younger survivors of breast and endometrial cancer.
BACKGROUND
The study's objective was to test whether there were signfiicant differences in adjustment between younger and older breast and endometrial cancer survivors.


METHODS
Two hundred and fifty-two breast and endometrial cancer survivors participated in this study, ranging in age from either 18 to 55 years old or 65 years old or older. Survivors were interviewed by telephone at study entry and 12 months, using a battery of measures to assess their adjustment, physical functioning, and treatment-related physical problems.


RESULTS
With an average of 3.7 years since treatment completion, almost all survivors reported good adjustment to having had cancer. While most differences in psychosocial adjustment between groups were small, younger survivors reported significantly worse adaptation than older survivors, as measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS, p<0.0001), Appearance-Orientation Scale (AOS, body image; p=0.02), Fear of Recurrence (p<0.0001), Distress about Long-term Treatment-Related Cancer Problems (p=0.01), and Number of Sexual Problems Attributed to Cancer (p<0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Survivors reported few cancer-related problems with only a small subset reporting problems in adjustment. Although differences were small, younger cancer survivors reported significantly worse adaptation than older survivors. Much of the adaptation to having had cancer may have already occurred in long-term survivors.
Kornblith
Alice B
AB
Breast Oncology Program-Mayer-2, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Alice_Kornblith@dfci.harvard.edu
Powell
Mark
M
Regan
Meredith M
MM
Bennett
Samantha
S
Krasner
Carolyn
C
Moy
Beverly
B
Younger
Jerry
J
Goodman
Annekathyrn
A
Berkowitz
Ross
R
Winer
Eric
E
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States