title: Long-term follow-up of a randomized study of support group intervention in women with primary breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite a fairly good prognosis, many breast-cancer patients suffer from symptoms such as anxiety, depression and fatigue, which may affect health-related quality of life and may persist for several years. The aim of the present study was to perform a long-term follow-up of a randomized study of support group intervention in women after primary breast cancer treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and eighty two women with primary breast cancer were randomized to support group intervention or control group, 181 in each group. Women in the intervention group participated in 1 week of intervention followed by 4 days of follow-up 2 months later. This is a long-term follow-up undertaken, in average, 6.5 years after randomization. Patients answered the questionnaires the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer, quality of life questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and the breast cancer module questionnaire (BR 23), the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HAD) and the Norwegian version of the fatigue scale (FQ).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjusting for treatment with chemotherapy, age, marriage, education and children at home, there was a significant improvement in physical, mental and total fatigue (FQ), cognitive function, body image and future perspective (EORTC QLQ C30 and BR23) in the intervention group compared with controls. The proportion of women affected by high anxiety and depression scores were not significantly different between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Support intervention significantly improved cognitive function, body image, future perspective and fatigue, compared with to the findings in the control group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Västmanland County Hospital, Västerås, Sweden. helena.granstam-bjorneklett@ltv.se
authors.forename: Helena Granstam
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Björneklett
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rosenblad
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lindemalm
authors.forename: Marja-Leena
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ojutkangas
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Letocha
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Strang
authors.forename: Leif
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bergkvist
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome