title: Relationship between negative mental adjustment to cancer and distress in thyroid cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies have reported that over a third of cancer patients experience significant psychological distress with diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Mental adjustment to cancer as well as other biologic and demographic factors may be associated with their distress. We investigated the relationship between mental adjustment and distress in patients with thyroid cancer prior to thyroidectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and fifty-two thyroid cancer patients were included in the final analysis. After global distress levels were screened with a distress thermometer, patients were evaluated concerning mental adjustment to cancer, as well as demographic and cancer-related characteristics. A thyroid function test was also performed. Regression analysis was performed to discern significant factors associated with distress in thyroid cancer patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our regression model was significant and explained 38.5% of the total variance in distress of this patient group. Anxious-preoccupation and helpless-hopeless factors on the mental adjustment to cancer scale were significantly associated with distress in thyroid cancer patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Negative emotional response to cancer diagnosis may be associated with distress in thyroid cancer patients awaiting thyroidectomy. Screening of mental coping strategies at the beginning of cancer treatment may predict psychological distress in cancer patients. Further studies on the efficacy of psychiatric intervention during cancer treatment may be needed for patients showing maladaptive psychological responses to cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Thyroid Cancer Center, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 211 Eonju-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-720, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Seok
authors.forename: Won-Jung
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Yong Sang
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Cheong Soo
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Young-Ja
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Jong-Sun
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hang-Seok
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy
keywords: Anxious preoccupation; distress; helplessness hopelessness; thyroid cancer
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