Marital status, delay in seeking treatment and survival from breast cancer

Is chemotherapy beneficial? A retrospective study of chemotherapy in patients with invasive intraductal papillary-mucinous carcinoma

Background and aim

Whether chemotherapy can improve the prognosis of invasive intraductal papillary-mucinous carcinoma (IPMC) still remains unclear. The aim of this study is to observe the difference in survival time of patients with invasive IPMC receiving or not receiving chemotherapy.

Methods

117 patients with invasive IPMC were included in The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. These patients were subsequently divided into two subgroups according to whether they received chemotherapy or not: the non-chemotherapy group (patients who did not receivechemotherapy, N = 58), the chemotherapy group (patients who received chemotherapy, N = 59). The overall survival (OS) and cancer specific survival (CSS) of two treatment groups were evaluated.

Results

Before adjusting for pathology grade, the Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the difference of survival time is not significant between non-chemotherapy group and chemotherapy group (P > 0.05), but the land-mark analysis showed that short-term death risk of the chemotherapy group is significantly lower than non-chemotherapy group (P < 0.05). After adjust the pathology grade, survival time of the chemotherapy group is significantly longer than non-chemotherapy group (P < 0.05). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression showed that chemotherapy was an independent prognostic protective factor for invasive IPMC (P < 0.05). Land-mark analysis showed that short-term death risk of the chemotherapy group is significantly lower than non-chemotherapy group in N1-N2 subgroup (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Chemotherapy is an independent protective factor IPMC, especially reducing the risk of short-term death for IPMC patients with lymph node metastasis.

Reduced racial disparity in receipt of optimal locoregional treatment for women with early-stage breast cancer

INTRODUCTION

Racial disparities in breast cancer treatment contribute to Black women having the worst breast cancer survival rates in the U.S. We investigated whether differences in receipt of optimal locoregional treatment (OLT), defined as receipt of mastectomy, breast-conserving surgery, or no surgery when contraindicated, existed between Black and White women with early-stage breast cancer from 2008-2018.

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort study, data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program Incidence Database was utilized to identify tumor cases from Black and White women aged 20-64 years old with stage I-II breast cancer. Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the associations between race and receipt of OLT as well as potential effect modification by tumor characteristics, and year of diagnosis.

RESULTS

Among 177,234 women diagnosed with early-stage breast tumors, disparities in OLT between Black and White women were present from 2008-2010 (2008: 82.1% Black vs. 85.7% White, p<0.001; 2009: 82.1% Black vs. 85.8% White, p<0.001; 2010: 82.2% Black vs. 87.2% White, p<0.001). This disparity was eliminated between 2010-2011 (86.3% Black vs. 87.5% White, p = 0.15), and did not reoccur during the remainder of the study period. From 2010-2011, more Black women received radiation therapy following breast-conserving surgery (43.4% to 48.9%; p = 0.001), which accounted for an overall increased receipt of OLT.

CONCLUSION

Increased receipt of radiation therapy with breast-conserving surgery appeared to drive a substantial increase in OLT for Black women from 2010-2011 that lasted throughout the study period. Further research on the underlying mechanisms that reduced this disparity is warranted.

Comparison of survival outcomes of different treatment modalities for patients with primary splenic diffuse large B cell lymphoma

Primary splenic diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is one of the most common primary tumors in the spleen, while its prevalence is relatively low. Recently, there has been an increase in the incidence rate of primary splenic DLBCL; however, the effectiveness of various treatments for it has not been adequately described previously. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of various treatments on survival time in primary splenic DLBCL. A total of 347 patients with primary splenic DLBCL were enrolled in The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. These patients were subsequently divided into four subgroups according to the treatment modalities: non-treatment group (patients who had not received chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or splenectomy, n=19), splenectomy group (patients who had received splenectomy only, n=71), chemotherapy group (patients who had received chemotherapy only, n=95), and the splenectomy combined with chemotherapy group (patients who had received splenectomy and chemotherapy, n=162). The overall survival (OS) and cancer specific survival (CSS) of four treatment groups were evaluated. Compared to the splenectomy group and the non-treatment group, the OS and CSS of the splenectomy combined with chemotherapy group was extremely significantly prolonged (P<0.01). Compared with the chemotherapy group, the OS and CSS of the splenectomy combined with chemotherapy group were longer, but there was no statistical difference (P>0.05). The Cox regression analysis showed that the treatment modality was identified as an independent prognostic factor for primary splenic DLBCL. The landmark analysis shows that the overall cumulative mortality risk was significantly lower in the splenectomy combined with chemotherapy group than in the chemotherapy group within 30 months (P<0.05), and the cancer-specific mortality risk was significantly lower in the splenectomy combined with chemotherapy group than in the chemotherapy group within 19 months (P<0.05). Splenectomy combined with chemotherapy may be the most effective treatment modality for primary splenic DLBCL.

Benefits of post-mastectomy radiation for T4N0M0 breast cancer patients: A SEER Database study

PURPOSE

To evaluate the impact of post-mastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) in breast cancer patients with stage T4N0M0.

METHOD

Patients diagnosed with breast cancer of T4N0M0 from Jan 2010 to Dec 2015 were extracted from SEER database. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze the factors associated with PMRT. Univariate and multivariate COX regression were used to analyze factors that might be associated with breast cancer specific survival (BCSS) and overall survival (OS) of patients. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to evaluate BCSS and OS in different subtypes of patients.

RESULT

Multivariable logistic regression showed that patients ≥ 71 years were less intend to have PMRT. Multivariate Cox analysis showed that married statue, HR+/Her- and HR+/Her+ subtypes, were independent predictors of improved BCSS and OS, and use of PMRT could improve BCSS and OS . PMRT was beneficial for OS in all subtypes breast cancer patients, but BCSS benefit was observed only in TNBC patients.

CONCLUSION

The use of PMRT improves OS in all T4N0M0 patients, but in terms of BCSS, it only beneficial for TNBC patients.

Sociodemographic disparities in molecular testing for breast cancer

PURPOSE

Molecular testing is a critical component of breast cancer care used to identify the presence of estrogen and/or progesterone receptors (jointly hormone receptors-HRs) and the expression of human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) on a tumor. Our objective was to characterize trends and predictors of lack of molecular testing among female breast cancer patients overall and by sociodemographic characteristics.

METHODS

We examined data on female breast cancer patients diagnosed between 2010 and 2016 from Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results-18. Joinpoint regression analyses assessed annual percent change (APC) in lack of ER, PR, or HER2 testing. Multivariable, multilevel logistic regression models identified factors associated with lack of molecular testing.

RESULTS

A nominally lower proportion of rural patients did not receive molecular testing (e.g., 1.8% in rural vs. 2.3% in urban for HER2). For all tests, a higher proportion of Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black women were not tested. Across all characteristics, improvement in testing was noted, although disparities among groups remained. For example, lack of HER2 testing improved from 3.2 to 1.7% in White patients (APC = - 10.05) but was consistently higher in Black patients 3.9 to 2.3% (APC = - 8.21). Multivariable, multilevel models showed that older, non-Hispanic Black, and unpartnered women were at greater odds of not receiving molecular testing.

CONCLUSIONS

While lack of molecular testing of breast cancer patients is relatively rare, racial/ethnic, insurance status, and age-related disparities have been identified. To reduce testing and downstream treatment and outcome disparities, it is imperative for all breast cancer patients to receive molecular testing.

The impact of marital status on stage at diagnosis and survival of female patients with breast and gynecologic cancers: A meta-analysis

The aim of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the effect of marital status on the stage at diagnosis and survival of female patients with breast and gynecologic cancers. A systematic literature search was conducted on electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane and EMBASE) till December 31, 2020. Publications investigating the association of marital status with stage at diagnosis and/or cancer-specific mortality (CSM) and/or overall survival (OS) in female patients with breast or gynecologic cancers were retrieved. After studies were selected according to inclusion criteria, data extraction, quality assessment and data analysis were performed. 55 articles were eligible for inclusion, consisting of 1,195,773 female cancer patients with breast, vulvar, cervical, endometrial and ovarian cancers. Unmarried female cancer patients had higher odds of being diagnosed at later stage [odds ratio (OR) = 1.28, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.22-1.36)] and worse survival outcomes in CSM [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.16-1.28] and OS (HR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.14-1.25). This estimate did not vary by level of social support, number of adjustment factors, or between America and Europe. Being married is associated with timely diagnosis and favorable prognosis in most women's cancers. Unmarried female cancer patients have a higher risk of late-stage diagnosis and worse survival outcomes than the married. Greater concern shall be demonstrated towards unmarried female cancer patients. Furthermore, the impact of lacking economic and emotional support on survival outcomes in unmarried female cancer patients deserves particular attention.

Marital status is an independent prognostic factor in inflammatory breast cancer patients: an analysis of the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results database

Objectives

The aim of this analysis was to study the impact of marital status on inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) patients, as the prognostic impact is yet to be studied in detail.

Methods

Data of IBC patients from 2004 to 2010 were sorted out from the database of surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER), and overall survival (OS) rates and breast cancer-specific survival (CSS) rates were compared between a group of married and unmarried patients. The comparison was performed by Kaplan–Meier method with log-rank test, and multivariate survival analysis of CSS and OS was performed using the Cox proportional hazard model.

Results

Data of 1342 patients were collected from the SEER database, on an average 52% of married patients (n = 698, 52.01%) and 48% of unmarried patients (n = 644, 47.99%) for this analysis. Married patients were more likely to be more younger (aged ≤ 56) (52.44% vs. 43.94%), white ethnicity (83.24% vs. 71.58%), HoR positive (48.28% vs. 41.61%), more patients received surgery (78.51% vs. 64.60%), chemotherapy (90.69% vs. 80.12%) and radiotherapy (53.44% vs. 44.41%) compared to unmarried group, and less likely to be AJCC stage IV (26.22% vs. 35.40%) (All P ˂ 0.05). Married patients had better 5-year CSS (74.90% vs. 65.55%, P < 0.0001) and OS rates (45.43% vs. 33.11%, P < 0.0001). The multivariate analysis revealed that marital status is an independent prognostic factor, whereas the data of unmarried patients showed worse CSS (HR 1.188; 95% CI 1.033–1.367; P = 0.016) and OS rates (HR 1.245; 95% CI 1.090–1.421; P = 0.001).The subgroup analysis further revealed that the OS and CSS rates in the married group were better than the unmarried group, regardless of different AJCC stages.

Conclusion

Marital status was an independent prognostic indicator in IBC patients. As the study reveals, the CSS and OS rates of the married patients were better than those of the unmarried patients.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s10549-019-05385-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Effects of Theodore Millon's Teaching, Mentorship, Theory, and Scientific Contributions on Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine Research and Practice

This article summarizes the impact of Theodore Millon's work on the disciplines of health psychology and behavioral medicine over the past 5 decades spanning from the late 1960s to present. The article is written from my perspectives as a graduate student mentored by Millon on through my faculty career as a collaborator in test construction and empirical validation research. Several of the most recent entries in this summary reflect projects that were ongoing at the time of his passing, revealing the innovation and visionary spirit that he demonstrated up until the end of his life. Considering that this summary is restricted to Millon's contributions to the disciplines of health psychology and behavioral medicine, this work comprises only a small portion of his larger contribution to the field of psychology and the areas of personality theory and psychological assessment more broadly.

Older women's experience with a benign breast biopsy—a mixed methods study

BACKGROUND

Little is known about older women's experience with a benign breast biopsy.

OBJECTIVES

To examine the psychological impact and experience of women ≥ 65 years of age with a benign breast biopsy.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study using quantitative and qualitative methods.

SETTING

Three Boston-based breast imaging centers.

PARTICIPANTS

Ninety-four English-speaking women ≥ 65 years without dementia referred for breast biopsy as a result of an abnormal mammogram, not aware of their biopsy results at baseline, and with a subsequent negative biopsy.

MEASUREMENTS

We interviewed women at the time of breast biopsy (before women knew their results) and 6 months post-biopsy. At both interviews, participants completed the validated negative psychological consequences of screening mammography questionnaire (PCQ, scores range from 0 to 36 [high distress], PCQ ≥ 1 suggests a psychological consequence, PCQs <1 are reported at time of screening) and women responded to open-ended questions about their experience. At follow-up, participants described the quality of information received after their benign breast biopsy. We used a linear mixed effects model to examine if PCQs declined over time. We also reviewed participants' open-ended comments for themes.

RESULTS

Overall, 88% (83/94) of participants were non-Hispanic white and 33% (31/94) had a high-school degree or less. At biopsy, 76% (71/94) reported negative psychological consequences from their biopsy compared to 39% (37/94) at follow-up (p < 0.01). In open-ended comments, participants noted the anxiety (29%, 27/94) and discomfort (28%, 26/94) experienced at biopsy (especially from positioning on the biopsy table). Participants requested more information to prepare for a biopsy and to interpret their negative results. Forty-four percent (39/89) reported at least a little anxiety about future mammograms.

CONCLUSIONS

The high psychological burden of a benign breast biopsy among older women significantly diminishes with time but does not completely resolve. To reduce this burden, older women need more information about undergoing a breast biopsy.

Delay in breast cancer: implications for stage at diagnosis and survival

Breast cancer continues to be a disease with tremendous public health significance. Primary prevention of breast cancer is still not available, so efforts to promote early detection continue to be the major focus in fighting breast cancer. Since early detection is associated with decreased mortality, one would think that it is important to minimize delays in detection and diagnosis. There are two major types of delay. Patient delay is delay in seeking medical attention after self-discovering a potential breast cancer symptom. System delay is delay within the health care system in getting appointments, scheduling diagnostic tests, receiving a definitive diagnosis, and initiating therapy. Earlier studies of the consequences of delay on prognosis tended to show that increased delay is associated with more advanced stage cancers at diagnosis, thus resulting in poorer chances for survival. More recent studies have had mixed results, with some studies showing increased survival with longer delays. One hypothesis is that diagnostic difficulties could perhaps account for this survival paradox. A rapidly growing lump may suggest cancer to both doctors and patients, while a slow growing lump or other symptoms could be less obvious to them. If this is the case, then the shorter delays would be seen with the more aggressive tumors for which the prognosis is worse leading to reduced survival. It seems logical that a tumor that is more advanced at diagnosis would lead to shorter survival but the several counter-intuitive studies in this review show that it is dangerous to make assumptions.

Early life conditions, partnership histories, and mortality risk for Swedish men and women born 1915-1929

This paper investigates the relationship between early life biological and social factors, partnership history, and mortality risk. Mortality risks for Swedish men and women over age 50 in the Uppsala Birth Cohort born 1915-1929 were estimated using survival analysis. Relative mortality risk was evaluated through nested multiplicative Gompertz models for 4348 men and 3331 women, followed from age 50 to the end of 2010. Being born to an unmarried mother was associated with higher mortality risk in later life for men and women, and relative to married individuals, being unmarried after age 50 was associated with elevated mortality risk. Single women and divorced men were the highest risk groups, and women were negatively impacted by a previous divorce or widowhood, while men were not. Both genders showed direct effects of early life variables on later life mortality and were vulnerable if unmarried in later life. However, in this study, previous marital disruptions appeared to have more (negative) meaning in the long-term for women.

The impact of social support in pulmonary rehabilitation of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Social support has been shown to be an important mediator of health status and survival in chronic illness but little information is available in patients with lung diseases. We used the Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ) to examine the relationships of number of persons (SSQ-N) and satisfaction (SSQ-S) with other measures of health status, treatment changes, and survival in 110 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) participating in a randomized, controlled clinical trial of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). Included in the analyses were measures of lung function (FEV1.0), exercise tolerance (maximum and endurance), symptoms ratings, age, self-efficacy, depression, and gender. At baseline, SSQ-N and SSQ-S were correlated positively with self-efficacy and negatively with depression and self-reported shortness of breath (SOB). SSQ-N was also correlated with disease severity and maximum exercise tolerance (FEV1.0 and VO2 max). Using the Cox Proportional Hazard Model, SSQ-S was significantly related to improved survival up to six years. However, in multivariate analysis, after adjusting for FEV1.0 and SOB which were better predictors of survival, SSQ-S was marginally significant. SSQ-S and survival were computed separately for males and females across treatment groups. SSQ-S was significantly related to mortality for women but not for men. We conclude that social support is related to measures of physical and psychological function in patients with COPD and may influence improvement and survival after pulmonary rehabilitation.

Patient and process factors associated with late-stage breast cancer diagnosis in Safety-Net patients: a pilot prospective study

BACKGROUND

Following reforms to our city's Safety-Net (SN) breast cancer referral process, we investigated whether factors often associated with late-stage diagnosis would differ by referral source--SN versus non-Safety-Net (NSN)--or, among SN patients, by stage at diagnosis.

METHODS

From September 2008 to June 2010, SN patients with any-stage (0-IV) and NSN patients with late-stage (IIB-IV) breast cancer were identified prospectively during initial cancer-center consultations. Data were analyzed using logistic regression, chi-square, and t tests; two-tailed P < 0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

Fifty-seven women completed interviews (33 SN, 24 NSN); 52% of SN-referred patients were diagnosed with late-stage disease. Compared with NSN late-stage patients, SN late-stage patients were more likely to be African-American (83% vs. 21%, P < 0.001), to have an annual household income <$25,000 (89% vs. 38%, P < 0.001), and to report having a health problem in the preceding year but not being able to see a doctor because of cost (67% vs. 25%, P = 0.012); they were less likely to be married/partnered (22% vs. 79%, P < 0.001) and to have post-college education (0% vs. 25%, P < 0.03), any insurance (61% vs. 96%, P < 0.005), and to have sought medical attention within 1 week of realizing they had concerning breast findings (50% vs. 79%, P = 0.047). Married/partnered patients were more likely to delay medical care by >1 week (odds ratio = 9.9, P = 0.038).

CONCLUSIONS

SN patients presented with higher-than-expected rates of late-stage disease despite improvements in mammography rates and the referral process. Efforts to further facilitate access to care for this vulnerable SN patient population are needed.

Widowhood and mortality: a meta-analysis and meta-regression

The study of spousal bereavement and mortality has long been a major topic of interest for social scientists, but much remains unknown with respect to important moderating factors, such as age, follow-up duration, and geographic region. The present study examines these factors using meta-analysis. Keyword searches were conducted in multiple electronic databases, supplemented by extensive iterative hand searches. We extracted 1,377 mortality risk estimates from 123 publications, providing data on more than 500 million persons. Compared with married people, widowers had a mean hazard ratio (HR) of 1.23 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.19-1.28) among HRs adjusted for age and additional covariates and a high subjective quality score. The mean HR was higher for men (HR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.19-1.35) than for women (HR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.08-1.22). A significant interaction effect was found between gender and mean age, with HRs decreasing more rapidly for men than for women as age increased. Other significant predictors of HR magnitude included sample size, geographic region, level of statistical adjustment, and study quality.

Disparities in bladder cancer

Among men, bladder cancer is the fourth most common malignancy and ninth leading cause of death from cancer in the United States. In contrast, it is the 11th most common malignancy and 12th leading cause of death from cancer among women. The successful management of bladder cancer largely depends on its timely diagnosis and treatment. Unfortunately, barriers disproportionately delay detection and treatment for individuals with social, economic, and community disadvantages. This imbalance creates health disparities (i.e., differences in health outcomes that are closely linked to these disadvantages), which negatively affect vulnerable populations, such as racial and ethnic minority groups, those from lower socioeconomic classes, and the uninsured. To obtain a better understanding of this issue, we review the current state of bladder cancer disparities research.

The effect of delays in treatment for breast cancer metastasis on survival

It is generally accepted that delay in receiving treatment for breast cancer results in adverse outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of delay in treatment after the diagnosis of metastatic disease on survival measured from metastatic breast cancer diagnosis and from first treatment while controlling for immortal time effect among patients with metastatic breast cancer. A total of 553 patients with breast cancer metastasis diagnosis from one large urban practice have been followed between January 1, 1999 and June 30, 2008. Prognostic factors and outcomes of these patients were analyzed using log-rank test and Cox regression model. Backward stepwise selection of covariates was conducted to assess the association of treatment delay with survival. The median survival was 40 months (range 1-114 months), with 265 (47.9%) women alive and 288 (52.1%) having died at the end of the follow-up period. Treatment delays of more than 12 weeks had impact on poor survival from first treatment than the delays of 4-12 weeks with borderline significance level (HR 1.76, 95% CI 0.99-3.13, P = 0.056) in multivariate analysis, adjusted by BMI, history of hypertension, ER/PR status, HER2 status, number of metastatic sites, and liver metastasis. Moreover, the interval of 12-24 weeks, compared to the interval of 4-12 weeks was associated with greater risk of death from first treatment (HR 2.39, 95% CI 1.19-4.77, P = 0.014). The treatment delay interval of >12 weeks was not related with survival since metastatic breast cancer diagnosis, compared to the 4-12 weeks of treatment delays. This study demonstrated that delays of over 12 weeks in receiving treatment for metastatic breast cancer were related to adverse survival outcomes measured from initiation of first treatment. The findings of this study support targeted efforts to ensure prompt treatment initiation in patients diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer.

Social support and survival in young women with breast carcinoma

PURPOSE

Although previous evidence has shown increased likelihood for survival in cancer patients who have social support, little is known about changes in social support during illness and their impact on survival. This study examines the relationship between social support and survival among women diagnosed with breast carcinoma, specifically assessing the effect of network size and changes in social contact post-diagnosis.

METHODS

A population-based sample of 584 women was followed for up to 12.5 years (median follow-up = 10.3 years). The mean age at diagnosis was 44 years, 81% were married, and 29% were racial/ethnic minorities. Cox regression analysis was used to estimate survival as a function of social support (changes in social contact and the size of social support), disease severity, treatment, health status, and socio-demographic factors.

RESULTS

Fifty-four percent of the women had local and 44% had regional stage disease. About 53% underwent mastectomy, 68% received chemotherapy, and 55% had radiation. Regression results showed that disease stage, estrogen receptor status, and mastectomy were associated with greater risk of dying. Although network size was not related to survival, increased contact with friends/family post-diagnosis was associated with lower risk of death, with a hazard ratio of 0.31 (95% CI, 0.17-0.57).

CONCLUSION

Findings from this study have identified an important aspect of a woman's social network that impacts survival. An increase in the amount of social contact, representing greater social support, may increase the likelihood of the women's survival by enhancing their coping skills, providing emotional support, and expanding opportunities for information-sharing.

Healing and survivorship: what makes a difference?

Literature demonstrating the importance of social relationships for cancer survivorship is accumulating. Building on that literature, the term “Healing Ties” refers to the scientific and popular factors supporting the idea that relationships and community are essential for healing. However, difficulties arise in assessing the effect of social support for survivorship.

The current paper reviews the role in survivorship of social support, with respect to the explanatory model provided by neuro-oncology and psycho-neuro-immunology. Taking cognizance of the importance of social relationships, the model of cancer rehabilitation aims, through its interdisciplinary framework, to restore a sense of well-being and to facilitate healing by optimizing the capability for full social relationships and engagement with the world.

Associations of social networks with cancer mortality: a meta-analysis

This meta-analysis integrates results of 87 studies on the associations of perceived social support, network size, and marital status with cancer survival. In controlled studies, having high levels of perceived social support, larger social network, and being married were associated with decreases in relative risk for mortality of 25%, 20%, and 12%, respectively. Moderator analyses revealed that never married patients had higher mortality rates than widowed and divorced/separated patients. Associations of social network with mortality were stronger in younger patients, and associations of marital status with mortality were stronger in studies with shorter time intervals, and in early-stage cancer. Relationships varied by cancer site, with stronger associations of social support observed in studies of patients with leukemia and lymphomas and stronger associations of network size observed in studies of breast cancer. Further randomized intervention studies are needed to test causal hypotheses about the role of social support and social network for cancer mortality.

African-American and low-socioeconomic status patients have a worse prognosis for invasive ductal and lobular breast carcinoma: do screening criteria need to change?

BACKGROUND

Determine the effect of race, socioeconomic status (SES) and other demographic variables on outcomes of patients with invasive ductal and lobular breast cancer.

STUDY DESIGN

Florida cancer registry and inpatient hospital data were queried for patients diagnosed with invasive breast cancer from 1998 to 2002.

RESULTS

A total of 63,472 patients with breast cancer were identified. Overall, 90.5% of patients were Caucasian, 7.6% African American, and 8.7% Hispanic. African-American patients presented at a younger age and with more-advanced disease, 10.5% presented with breast cancer before the age of 40 years, and 22.4% before 45 years of age. African-American patients were less likely to undergo operations. Similarly, low-SES patients were less likely to have operations and presented more often with larger tumors. Stepwise multivariate analysis revealed a substantial drop in the hazard ratio for African-American patients once correction for stage of presentation was made, suggesting that disparities in breast cancer outcomes are, in part, a result of advanced stage at presentation. Race and low SES were independent predictors of worse prognosis when controlling for patient comorbidities and treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Dramatic disparities by patient race and SES exist in breast cancer. Our study integrates previous smaller studies, providing comprehensive insight into African-American patients and their outcomes for breast cancer. Earlier screening programs and greater access to cancer care for the poor and African Americans are needed. Successful institution of such programs will not completely erase disparities in outcomes for breast cancer in African-American patients.

Disentangling the effects of race on breast cancer treatment

BACKGROUND

African Americans (AA) have higher mortality from breast cancer compared with white Americans (WA). Studies using population-based cancer registries have attributed this to disparities in treatment after normalizing the AA and WA populations for differences in disease stage. However, those studies were hampered by lack of comorbidity data and limited information about systemic treatments. The objective of the current study was to investigate racial disparities in breast cancer treatment by conducting a comprehensive medical records review of women who were diagnosed with breast cancer at the Karmanos Cancer Institute (KCI) in Detroit, Michigan.

METHODS

The study cohort consisted of 651 women who were diagnosed with primary breast cancer between 1990 and 1996 at KCI. Multivariable logistic regression analysis controlling for sociodemographic factors, tumor characteristics, comorbidities, and health insurance status was used to assess whether there were differences between WA and AA in the receipt of breast-conserving surgery (BCS), radiation, tamoxifen, and chemotherapy.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference between WA and AA in the receipt of BCS versus mastectomy. Patients with local-stage disease who were enrolled in government insurance plans underwent mastectomy more often (vs BCS plus radiation) compared with patients who were enrolled in nongovernment plans. The rates of receipt of tamoxifen and chemotherapy were similar for local-stage WA and local-stage AA. However, WA were more likely to receive tamoxifen and/or chemotherapy for regional-stage disease. Married women with regional disease were more likely to receive chemotherapy than nonmarried women.

CONCLUSIONS

The results from this study may be used to target educational interventions to improve the use of adjuvant therapies among AA women who have regional-stage disease.

Interdependent anxiety and psychological distress in women with breast cancer and their partners

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of interdependence on anxiety within dyads where one person was undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Perceptions of relationship quality were expected to mitigate the anxiety experienced by both members of the dyad. 96 dyads participated in a 3-wave longitudinal study that took place over 10 weeks. Dyads were composed of a woman with stage I-III breast cancer who was currently undergoing treatment, and a partner who she nominated to participate in the study along with her. Results indicated that anxiety felt by women with breast cancer was consistently associated with that of her partner. Structural equation analyses suggest that the within-dyad influence runs mostly from partners' anxiety to the anxiety of women with breast cancer. Partners' anxiety was also associated with other indicators of the women's well being including depression, fatigue, and symptom management. Perceptions of relationship quality from women with breast cancer and their partners were negatively associated with partners' anxiety. However, women's anxiety was only correlated with their partners', but not their own, perceptions of relationship quality. These findings underscore the benefit of having partners who are able to cope with or get help for their own personal distress as women cope with the stress of breast cancer and its treatment.

Advanced breast cancer: aetiology, treatment and psychosocial features

Breast cancer is a common form of cancer in women of varying age. Due to the relationship between breasts, sexuality and reproduction, this form of cancer has an interconnected psychological and psychosocial influence on the well-being of women. Current understanding of the aetiology and pathogenesis of the disease has evolved as evidence supporting a role for genes such as the HER2 gene has emerged. HER2-positive breast cancer is a particularly progressive form of the disease as a result of its ability to differentiate and spread. Trastuzumab (Herceptin) forms part of the current treatment for this form of breast cancer; albeit costly, it has been shown to improve survival rates in women. For this reason it is now a recommended treatment for early-stage breast cancer. During and after treatment cycles, the breast cancer nurse and medical practitioners should be available to provide emotional support and advice on the manifestations of the disease, coping strategies and how breast cancer patients manage close family relatives.

A randomized psychosocial intervention study on the effect of home visits on the well-being of Danish colorectal cancer patients--the INCA Project

Home visits by health care professionals may constitute a formalized social relationship in which cancer patients can be given emotional and informational support. We aimed at studying the effect of home visits on the well-being of colorectal cancer patients. A total of 249 Danish colorectal cancer patients undergoing abdominal surgery were randomly assigned to a control group or to an intervention group. The intervention group received 10 home visits carried out by a project nurse or a medical doctor during the first 2 years after discharge. Participants were interviewed 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after discharge in order to assess well-being. Using a linear mixed model, we found no overall effect of the intervention on well-being. We recommend that future psychosocial intervention studies include baseline screening for distress and recommend testing the effect of shorter but intensive interventions carried out by trained therapists.

Approach to Fine-needle Aspiration Cytology-negative Cases of Breast Cancer

OBJECTIVE

To clarify the clinical usefulness of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology of breast tumours and the management of FNA cytology-negative cases suspected of or equivocal for malignancy.

METHODS

FNA cytology was performed in 94 patients between 1995 and 2002. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of FNA cytology for the diagnosis of malignancy. We also compared clinical and radiological findings between false-negative and true-negative cases.

RESULTS

The sensitivity of FNA was 91% (72/79), specificity was 93% (14/15), accuracy was 91% (86/94), positive predictive value was 99% (72/73) and negative predictive value was 67% (14/21). There were seven false-negative cases and one false-positive case. Findings that aroused suspicion of malignancy were more frequent in the false-negative cases, especially from mammography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

CONCLUSION

FNA cytology was an accurate preoperative diagnostic procedure for the evaluation of breast masses. In FNA cytology-negative cases, repeated FNA, core needle biopsy or excisional biopsy needs to be performed based on MRI findings.

Health-Related Quality of Life and Psychosocial Status in Breast Cancer Prognosis: Analysis of Multiple Variables

Purpose

Evidence that psychosocial status and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) are associated with breast cancer (BC) outcomes is weak and inconsistent. We examined prognostic effects of these factors in a prospective cohort study.

Patients and Methods

Three hundred ninety-seven women with surgically resected T1 to T3, N0/N1, M0 BC completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (Core 30 items), Profile of Mood States, Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale, Impact of Events Scale, Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale, and the Courtauld Emotional Control Scale 2 months after diagnosis and 1 year later. Data on tumor-related factors, treatment, and outcomes were obtained prospectively from medical records, and Cox survival analyses were performed.

Results

Mean age was 52.0 ± 9.9 years. Two hundred twenty-five women had T1, 136 women had T2, 16 women had T3, and 20 women had TX tumors; 127 were N1. One hundred thirteen women received adjuvant chemotherapy, 130 received hormone therapy, 45 received both, and 109 received neither. We investigated 140 prognostic associations; four were found to be statistically significant at a P value of ≤ .05 (three fewer than expected by chance). Two were in the hypothesized direction of effect, and two were in the opposite direction. All arose from measurements 1 year after diagnosis, which were most susceptible to confounding by treatment. There was no evidence of consistency of associations across outcomes or questionnaires. These results are in keeping with chance as the explanation for our statistically significant findings.

Conclusion

HRQOL and psychosocial status at diagnosis and 1 year later are not associated with medical outcome in women with early-stage BC.

Psychosocial influences on 305 adults' survival after bone marrow transplantation; depression, smoking, and behavioral self-regulation

OBJECTIVE

The role of psychological factors in adult survival after bone marrow transplant (BMT) has not been adequately established. BMT survival rates have been shown to depend largely on disease and demographic variables. With sample sizes no larger than 123, the majority of psychosocial studies found little definitive statistical evidence that mood, marital/cohabiting status, coping styles, or smoking affect survival. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively examine the relative contribution of psychological variables to survival after BMT in a unified model, controlling for medical and demographic variables.

METHODS

Pre-BMT, 305 consecutive patients were psychologically assessed with interview and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). Transplant Evaluation Rating Scale (TERS) ratings were assigned retrospectively by two raters (interrater reliability r=.89). We employed a fully parametric, accelerated failure time regression model (Weibull), which provides richer extrapolation and interpretation than the semiparametric Cox proportional hazards regression model.

RESULTS

Overall our results indicate that for a given medical condition, the type of BMT patient likely to survive longest was a young, married, educated, European-American, nonsmoker who was more defiant, better adjusted, and less depressed. Moreover, the longer a patient survived, the smaller the probability of dying in the short run.

CONCLUSIONS

This study, the first large-scale statistical analysis using a fully parametric model (Weibull), provides evidence that select psychosocial variables can affect BMT survival. Future investigations could explore possible mediating variables, and whether identifying high-risk individuals pretreatment could enhance resource allocation, psychological intervention, and possibly even survival itself.

The journey towards a cancer diagnosis: the experiences of people with cancer, their family and carers

This small-scale study aimed to provide an insight into the time between first noticing a symptom, attending a healthcare provider and obtaining a cancer diagnosis. Previous research showed that the pre-diagnostic moments on the illness trajectory were important to people with cancer and could influence levels of satisfaction with subsequent care. This article provides an overview of the qualitative component (phase 2) of a three-pronged study that involved a workshop, a literature review and focus groups and interviews with people affected by cancer. Results highlighted some of the difficulties encountered during the complex journey towards a diagnosis of cancer. These included fear of what might be found, communication of symptoms to healthcare practitioners, the influence of family on decisions to attend a primary care practitioner and the importance of a person's gender on perceptions of health-seeking behaviour. Results presented warrant further investigation and suggest the importance of viewing the 'cancer journey' as including the journey leading up to a diagnosis of cancer.

Social context and outcomes for the ageing breast cancer patient: considerations for clinical practitioners

Current incidence, prevalence and survival rates determine that breast cancer is primarily a disease of older women. This integrative essay provides an extensive review of the literature on (i). the social and psychological factors that influence adjustment to breast cancer and survival from it, (ii). the social and health status of older women, and (iii). the medical treatment of older breast cancer patients. It is concluded that while psychological orientation to the disease, coping strategies and functional continuities of breast cancer patients are important for disease outcome, adjustment to and survival from breast cancer by older women may be compromised by the social context - with respect to marriage and intimate ties, social participation, socio-economic status, and mental and physical health. The paper concludes with the suggestion that clinical practitioners need to be aware of the both the resources of, and limitations facing the older breast cancer patient, and with the provision of specific recommendations about the clinical management of this population for nurses and other health professionals.

Delayed presentation in breast cancer: a study in Iranian women

BACKGROUND: A cross sectional study was conducted in Tehran Iran to examine the extent of patient delay and associated factors in the presentation of breast cancer. METHODS: A group of newly diagnosed breast cancer patients were interviewed and were asked about the period from first onset of symptoms to first medical consultation to indicate patient delay. This was studied in relation to patients' age, educational level, marital status, family history of breast cancer, history of benign breast disease, number of children and the nature of the first symptom seen. RESULTS: In all, 190 breast cancer patients were interviewed. Of these, 75% presented to physician within 3 months. Forty-two patients (25%) delayed more than 3 months. In multivariate regression analysis it was found that there was a risk for longer delay in widowed or divorced women (OR 3.7, 95% CI 1.5-9.7), women with a positive family history of breast cancer (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.1-7.7), and less educated patients (illiterate: OR 5.2, 95% CI 1.5-17.7; primary schooling: OR 4.6, 95% CI 1.4-14.7). Significant associations also were found between delay presentation and the late stage disease (P = 0.01) and bigger tumor size (P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that one in four women with breast cancer present late and this has significant effect on their disease prognosis. To reduce patient delay health education programs regarding breast cancer should be implemented and target women who are at higher risk of delay.

The role of religious coping in adjustment to cancer

This study tested a model of adjustment to cancer in which social support, disease impact, and religious coping were hypothesized to have an impact on adjustment to cancer that was mediated by self-efficacy. Two hundred and ninety-two people with cancer completed questionnaires. Three analyses were undertaken: first, the structure of the Religious Problem Solving Scale was assessed by a factor analysis in which two factors emerged, Deferring-Collaborative and Self-Directing; second, the resulting factors' relationships to outcome measures were assessed through correlational and regression analyses; third, a mediated model of coping was tested with self-efficacy as a mediating variable between religious coping and adjustment. The Deferring-Collaborative factor had positive relationships with most of the variables and was partially mediated by self-efficacy. The results indicate that religious coping has no relationship to quality of life, a positive relationship with adjustment, and was more important in this study than available social support.

Healing the mind/body split: bringing the patient back into oncology

The effect on oncology of the doctrine of Cartesian dualism is examined. It is argued that (1) this doctrine continues to exert a baneful (though unacknowledged) influence on the practice of oncology, (2) Descartes's doctrine of a mind/body split is mistaken, and (3) mind and body (brain) are inextricably interwoven. A biopsychosocial model of disease is advocated. The role of psychooncology in healing the mind/body split by focusing research attention on the patient is outlined.

Advanced age and adjuvant tamoxifen prescription in early-stage breast carcinoma patients

BACKGROUND

Adjuvant tamoxifen is recommended for all women with estrogen receptor-positive breast carcinoma without regard for age. We investigated age-dependent variations in adjuvant tamoxifen prescription patterns in a cohort of women 80 years of age and older.

METHODS

We studied 92 women diagnosed at four U.S. sites with primary, early-stage breast carcinoma. Each woman consented to a medical record review and participated in two telephone interviews. We compared the proportion of tamoxifen prescriptions received by women 85-92 years of age with those received by women 80-84 years of age. Relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were generated using generalized estimating equations. Confounding by demographic, disease, and treatment characteristics was assessed.

RESULTS

Before adjustment, patients 85-92 years of age were 28% less likely to receive a tamoxifen prescription compared with patients 80-84 years of age (RR = 0.72, 95% CI 0.57-0.91). In this sample, patients not prescribed tamoxifen had substantially more comorbidity. After adjusting the crude finding for comorbidity, the RR was 0.74 (95% CI 0.58-0.93). In addition, the oldest patients and those not prescribed tamoxifen were significantly less likely to be married or have living children. After adjusting the crude finding for these two factors, the RR was 0.75 (95% CI 0.59-0.95). There was no confounding by the other demographic, disease, or treatment covariates assessed.

CONCLUSION

Given the increasing longevity of the oldest old, undertreatment with adjuvant tamoxifen may put older breast carcinoma patients at an increased risk of disease recurrence and breast carcinoma mortality.

Factors influencing mortality among young women with second primary breast carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Tumor characteristics are strong predictors of survival among women with breast carcinoma, yet the variability in prognosis among women presenting with similar stages suggests other factors may also play an important role. We examine the prognostic significance of etiologic risk factors for breast carcinoma to determine whether factors that influence the development of breast carcinoma also affect the course of the disease among a prospective cohort of young women with bilateral breast carcinoma.

METHODS

The 369 U.S. women included in this study were from the Cancer and Steroid Hormone Study who were diagnosed with an invasive first primary breast carcinoma between 1980 and 1982 and a second primary breast carcinoma before 1999. Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate factors known and suspected to be associated with breast carcinoma and with survival, based on reporting at the time of the first primary.

RESULTS

One hundred sixty women died during the 16-18-year follow-up period. The adjusted 1, 5, 10, and 15-year survival rates following diagnosis of second primary breast carcinoma were 94%, 70%, 55%, and 49%, respectively. Survival rates werepoorest among the youngest women, those diagnosed with a second primary within 5 years of their first, poor African American women, women with either primary diagnosed at a later stage, those with less than 12 years of school, single women, and those with major weight gain between age 18 and adulthood.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provided little evidence that important etiologic factors for breast carcinoma predict mortality following diagnosis of a second primary breast carcinoma.

Clinical and social factors that affect the time to diagnosis of Mexican children with cancer

BACKGROUND

There are few studies on the factors that influence the time to diagnosis (TD) in childhood cancer. The object of the present study was to determine the influence of some clinical and social factors associated to TD in children with cancer seen at Mexico City (MC) hospitals.

PROCEDURE

A retrospective study was performed. A total of 4,940 clinical records of children with cancer were reviewed. Cases of cancer were grouped, according to the International Classification of Childhood Cancer. The median (med) TD was calculated for each group (type) of cancer. The association between delayed TD (longer than 1 month) and type, age at diagnosis, parental educational level, medical institution, and place of residence was analyzed, for which the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were obtained.

RESULTS

Leukemias had the shortest TD (med = 1 month), while Hodgkin disease (HD) and retinoblastoma had the longest TD (med = 5 months). The highest risk for delayed TD was in children with HD (OR = 7.0; 95% CI 5.3-9.3), in the 10-14 age group (OR = 1.8; 95% CI 1.4-2.3), with low maternal educational level (OR = 1.5; 95% CI 1.2-2.1), in the population with no access to social security (OR = 1.3; 95% CI 1.1-1.4), and whose place of residence is far from MC (OR = 1.5; 95% CI 1.2-2.1).

CONCLUSIONS

In Mexican children with cancer, age at diagnosis, and societal characteristics are important factors affecting timely diagnosis.

Social networks and health-related quality of life in breast cancer survivors: a prospective study

PURPOSE

To examine prospectively the influence of social networks on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among breast cancer survivors.

METHODS

Social networks and HRQoL were assessed among women free of breast cancer in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS). Women who developed breast cancer over a 4-year follow-up (n=708) completed detailed questions related to treatment together with an assessment of general and cancer-specific HRQoL.

RESULTS

On average, socially isolated women were more adversely affected by breast cancer--their role function was lower by 14 points, vitality lower by 7 points, and physical function lower by 6 points compared to the most socially integrated women.

CONCLUSION

Prediagnosis level of social integration is an important factor in future HRQoL among breast cancer survivors, and appears to explain more of the variance in HRQoL than treatment or tumor characteristics. Rehabilitation programs should incorporate interventions that address the availability of adequate social support among breast cancer survivors.

Patient delay and stage of diagnosis among breast cancer patients in Germany -- a population based study

Early diagnosis is a tenet in oncology and should enable early treatment with the expectation of improved outcome. Extent and determinants of patient delay of diagnosis in breast cancer patients and its impact on stage of disease were examined in a population based study among female breast cancer patients in Germany. Two hundred and eighty-seven women, aged 18 to 80 years with newly diagnosed invasive symptomatic breast cancer, were interviewed with respect to the diagnostic process. Patient delay was defined as time from onset of first symptoms to first consultation of a doctor. Median patient delay was 16 days among symptomatic patients. Eighteen per cent of all breast cancer patients waited longer than 3 months before consulting a physician. Long patient delay was associated with old age, history of a benign mastopathy, obesity, and indices of health behaviour such as not knowing a gynaecologist for out-patient care and non-participation in general health screening examinations. A strong association between patient delay and stage at diagnosis was observed for poorly differentiated tumours. These results suggest that at risk groups for delaying consultation can be identified and that a substantial proportion of late stage diagnoses of poorly differentiated breast cancer cases could be avoided if all patients with breast cancer symptoms would present to a doctor within 1 month.

In-hospital delay in the diagnosis of breast cancer

BACKGROUND

There is evidence that delay in the diagnosis of breast cancer may prejudice survival. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence, time trends and causes of delay in a dedicated breast clinic.

METHODS

The interval between first breast clinic visit and a definitive diagnosis was recorded in all patients with invasive breast cancer between 1988 and 1997. In all patients with a delay of 3 months or more, the case notes were reviewed for evidence of a triple assessment (clinical examination, imaging and needle biopsy). The principal cause of delay was identified.

RESULTS

Of 1004 patients with invasive breast cancer, there was a delay in diagnosis of 3 months or more in 42 patients between 1988 and 1997, an incidence of 4.2 per cent. The median delay was 6 months and the median age at diagnosis was 53 (range 27-89) years. Triple assessment was undertaken in 30 patients; ten did not have a needle biopsy performed and three patients had no mammography. The principal cause of delay was: false-negative or inadequate fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in 19 patients, failure of follow-up in eight, clinical signs did not impress in five, FNAC not carried out in four, false-negative mammogram in three, failure of needle localization in two and one patient did not accept clinical advice. The annual incidence of delay in diagnosis did not change significantly over the 10-year interval.

CONCLUSION

Triple assessment is not sufficiently sensitive to detect every breast cancer and a small incidence of diagnostic delay is therefore inevitable with current techniques.

Psychosocial correlates of cancer relapse and survival: a literature review

This article reviews literature on the psychosocial correlates of cancer relapse and survival from 1979 through 1995. The factors studied were structured according to a theoretical model of coping with cancer. Reviewed studies have shown that factors most frequently evaluated were depression, anxiety, hopelessness/helplessness, hostility, marital status and social involvement. Mainly inconsistent results were found. The strongest evidence for a relationship between psychosocial variables and prognosis was found for social involvement/social support; in 7 of 15 studies a positive relationship was demonstrated, while no negative associations were found. Coping styles e.g., fighting spirit and stoic acceptance, and severe/stressful life events were found to have no conclusive influence on the length of survival. Important determinants of the coping model, such as uncertainty and information given by the specialist were not studied as possible predictors of survival and/or relapse free period. Among the factors that showed no correlation at all was multidimensional health locus of control. For the inconsistent findings, a considerable number of methodologic shortcomings with respect to study design, sample size, measure and statistical analysis are enumerated.

Factors predicting delayed presentation of symptomatic breast cancer: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Delayed presentation of symptomatic breast cancer is associated with lower survival. Understanding of the factors that influence delay is important for the development of strategies to shorten delays. We did a systematic review to assess the quality and strength of evidence on risk factors for delays by patients and providers.

METHODS

We generated hypotheses about the relation between each putative risk factor and delay, against which we tested studies. We did searches to identify papers containing original data related to risk factors for delays by patients (n=86) and providers (n=28). We critically appraised the papers for inclusion in the review according to predefined criteria. The small number of studies of adequate quality did not allow formal meta-analysis. We therefore assigned strength of evidence according to a combination of the number and size of studies supporting, not supporting, or refuting the hypotheses.

FINDINGS

Most studies were deemed to be of poor quality and were excluded. Among 23 studies of adequate quality, however, there was strong evidence for an association between older age and delay by patients, and strong evidence that marital status was unrelated to delays by patients. Younger age and presentation with a breast symptom other than a lump were strong risk factors for delays by providers. Moderate evidence was shown for several other factors.

INTERPRETATION

The strength of the current evidence is inadequate to inform the development of specific strategies to shorten delays by patients or providers. Clarification of the findings of this review through a major programme of primary research is urgently required.

Psychological response to long-term group therapy: a randomized trial with metastatic breast cancer patients

Research has demonstrated that short-term psychological interventions improve the quality of life of cancer patients. However, there is much less evidence for the efficacy of long-term interventions. We report the psychometric results from a randomized clinical trial (n = 66) assessing the effects of an 8 month, weekly psychological intervention on 30 metastatic breast cancer patients. Subjects were assessed at baseline, 4, 8 and 14 months for mood, quality of life and adjustment to cancer. Results demonstrated little psychometric difference between the control (n = 36) and intervention groups over this length of time, in spite of the fact that when the intervention subjects attended a weekend of support and training in coping skills, the usual significant, short-term changes were observed. In the long-term intervention, subjects did experience more anxious preoccupation and less helplessness than the controls but no recorded improvements in mood or quality of life. However, profound clinical changes were observed by the therapists, similar to those noted by Spiegel et al. (1981). We conclude that many of the psychological changes made by subjects in long-term interventions may elude conventional psychometric assessment. Further research, of a rigorous qualitative nature, is required to develop a clearer understanding of the experience of living and eventually dying of cancer within the context of a long-term intervention.

A randomized controlled trial of the effects of group psychological therapy on survival in women with metastatic breast cancer

In order to test the effect of a psychological intervention on survival from cancer, 66 women with metastatic breast cancer, all receiving standard medical care, were randomly assigned into two groups; one group (n = 30) attended the psychological intervention, consisting of 35 weekly, 2 h sessions of supportive plus cognitive behavioral therapy; the control group (n = 36) received only a home study cognitive behavioral package. No significant difference was found in survival post-randomization between the groups as assessed by a log rank test 5 years after the commencement of the study. As expected, several prognostic factors were significant predictors of survival: metastatic site, hormonal receptor status, and chemotherapy prior to randomization. While many personal and demographic variables did not influence survival, there was a significant effect of self-reported exercise (possibly due to better health). A small subgroup of intervention subjects who attended outside support groups also survived significantly longer than those who did not. The strengths and limitations of the present study are discussed, and the results contrasted with those of a well known study by Spiegel et al. (Spiegel, D., Bloom, J.R., Kraemer, H.C. and Gottheil, E. (1989) Lancet ii, 888-891). We propose that a different experimental design (correlative) may be needed to show any effect of self-help behaviors and psychological attributes in a small minority of patients.

Information needs, uncertainty, and anxiety in women who had a breast biopsy with benign outcome

A retrospective, descriptive study to determine the information needs of women who underwent a breast biopsy with a benign outcome and to ascertain the levels of uncertainty and anxiety they experienced was conducted in two community health care sites in Winnipeg, Manitoba. A sample of 70 women completed a four-part survey after learning the benign breast biopsy diagnosis. The survey consisted of an Information Needs Questionnaire, Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale--Community Form, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and a Demographic Questionnaire. Before the study, nine information needs were identified in a focus group composed of women (n = 9) who had a benign breast biopsy. The nine information needs were arranged in 36 pairs in the Information Needs Questionnaire. Profiles of information needs were developed through Statistical Analysis Systems analysis using Thurstone's Law of Comparative Judgement--Case V. The most important information need of women who underwent a benign breast biopsy was knowing when they would learn the diagnosis. The next four information needs were categorized as information about the risks of developing breast cancer. Information about follow-up and diagnostic tests were less important than information about the threat of breast cancer. Women experienced heightened uncertainty and anxiety levels related to the benign breast biopsy experience. Profiles of information needs were developed for women experiencing various levels of uncertainty and anxiety, women of different age groups, and women who experienced with a loved one with breast cancer.