Disrupted sleep in breast and prostate cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy: the role of coping processes.
BACKGROUND
Sleep problems are a common complaint in cancer patients that have been understudied.


METHODS
This study examined changes in sleep in 33 breast cancer (BC) patients and 23 prostate cancer (PC) patients during radiation therapy and over a 6-month followup. Coping processes were examined as predictors of sleep. Self-reported sleep was assessed at eight time-points before, during, and after treatment using the Medical Outcomes Study-Sleep Scale. The COPE Scale was used to assess coping processes before treatment onset.


RESULTS
Mixed effects linear modeling analyses revealed that both BC and PC patients reported the most sleep problems prior to and during the early weeks of treatment. Coping strategies predicted sleep trajectories in both groups. In particular, approach coping predicted better sleep in PC patients, whereas avoidance coping predicted worst sleep in both PC and BC patients (p's<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings highlight the importance of evaluating sleep in patients as they undergo treatment for cancer. Additionally, they suggest that interventions aimed at increasing the use of approach-oriented coping strategies may improve sleep and quality of life in these patients.
Thomas
Kamala S
KS
Department of Psychology, Pitzer College, Claremont, CA 91711, USA. kamala_thomas@pitzer.edu
Bower
Julienne
J
Hoyt
Michael A
MA
Sepah
Saviz
S
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000523:psychology*