title: A longitudinal investigation of posttraumatic stress disorder in patients with ovarian cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Exposure to the aggressive and life-threatening nature of ovarian cancer and its treatment is potentially traumatic. However, little is known about the occurrence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 121 women newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer were recruited into a prospective longitudinal study of the course of PTSD and the factors that predict its development and persistence. Between 82 and 111 were assessed at each of the four time points subsequent to their diagnosis, and 63 women provided complete data from the beginning of chemotherapy treatment, midtreatment, end of treatment and 3-months follow-up on PTSD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between 36% and 45% of the total sample experienced PTSD at some point, with a nonsignificant but progressive increase in prevalence over time. Of those women with complete data, only 30% never experienced PTSD at any time. Most of the women were intermittent cases of PTSD (57%, n=36), while 13% (n=8) were persistent cases. Younger women were at higher risk of experiencing PTSD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of women newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer with persistent PTSD is relatively low (13%); however, our findings highlight that the trajectory of the illness and its associated stressors may constitute an enormous challenge and may be perceived as traumatic and stressful for most of the women in our sample at least once. Repetitive screening for PTSD and the provision of psychological treatments could ameliorate PTSD symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Psychology, School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. vmo.goncalves@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Vânia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jayson
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tarrier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*