Clusters of Psychological Symptoms in Breast Cancer: Is There a Common Psychological Mechanism?

Peace, equanimity and acceptance in the cancer experience: validation of the German version (PEACE-G) and associations with mental health, health-related quality of life and psychological constructs

BACKGROUND

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses reveal the importance of an accepting attitude towards cancer for mental health and functional coping. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the German translation of the Peace, Equanimity, and Acceptance in the Cancer Experience (PEACE) questionnaire (Mack et al., 2008) and to investigate its associations with mental health, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and related constructs.

METHODS

The German version of the PEACE (PEACE-G) was created and validated with cancer patients in a cross-sectional two center questionnaire study. Construct validity was tested with confirmational factor analyses (CFA); Cronbach's alpha was used to determine internal consistency of items. We further examined associations with depression (PHQ-8), anxiety (GAD-7), distress (NCCN distress thermometer), HRQoL (SF-12), psychological flexibility (AAQ-II), resilience (RS-11) and acceptance scales, to evaluate concurrent and divergent validity.

RESULTS

N = 213 cancer patients with different tumor entities participated in this study. Results of the CFA replicated the two-factor solution of the original PEACE (peaceful acceptance and struggle with illness) with satisfactory psychometric properties. Peaceful acceptance showed negative associations with depression, anxiety, distress, psychological inflexibility, and positive associations with HRQoL, acceptance, resilience, and mindfulness. Results of sensitivity analyses indicate a third factor (injustice/anger).

CONCLUSIONS

The results demonstrate the validity and reliability of PEACE-G in cancer patients and point to the essential role of acceptance- and mindfulness-based interventions in psycho-oncology. Further studies are needed to investigate the different facets of struggle with the cancer illness.

Correlation of death anxiety with coping strategies among Palestinian women with breast cancer: a cross-sectional study

Background

Death anxiety and maladaptive coping accompany breast cancer diagnoses. The coping mechanisms and death anxiety among Palestinian patients with breast cancer have not been studied.

Aim

To assess the prevalence of death anxiety and its relationship with coping strategies among Palestinian women with breast cancer who are treated in Beit Jala Governmental Hospital in Bethlehem.

Method

A cross-sectional design was used, and 214 breast cancer patients who visited the Beit Jala Governmental Hospital in Bethlehem were recruited. Templer's Death Anxiety Scale and the Brief COPE Scale were used. To investigate the relationship between coping strategies and death anxiety, frequency, percentages, chi-square tests, and Pearson's correlation tests were utilized.

Results

The results indicated that 58.40% of the patients experienced death anxiety. The participants who used positive reframing (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.487, p = < 0.026), self-blame (AOR = 1.309, p = < 0.023), and religion (AOR = 1.260, p = < 0.031) as coping mechanisms were more likely to experience death anxiety. Conversely, the participants who adopted substance use (AOR = 0.657, p < 0.005) and active coping (AOR = 0.629, p < 0.007) as coping strategies had a lower likelihood of experiencing death anxiety.

Conclusion

The study revealed that breast cancer patients tended to use a combination of functional and emotional coping strategies and that a significant proportion of these patients (58.4%) experienced symptoms of death anxiety. This study emphasizes the significance of screening for death anxiety and understanding the coping strategies utilized by the patients. Gaining this understanding will assist in identifying patients who need more guidance and support.

Risk factors for self-reported high symptom cluster burdens in patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy in China: A cross-sectional study

Background and Aims

Further exploration is needed to recognize symptom clusters and categorize subgroups with distinct cluster patterns and associated risks, focusing on symptoms that are highly self-reported by patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. This study aimed to identify subgroups and risk factors for self-reported high symptom cluster burden among patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

Methods

A total of 647 participants who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study, with data collected on demographics, disease information, self-reported symptoms, and psychosocial factors. Latent class analysis was utilized to identify the subgroup, while logistic regression was used to pinpoint predictive risk factors.

Results

Latent class analysis revealed three subgroups: the "high burden of all symptoms group" (n = 107, 16.54%), the "high burden of psychological symptoms group" (n = 103, 15.92%), and the "low burden of all symptoms group" (n = 437, 67.54%). Patients in the high burden of all symptom group and high burden of psychological symptom group exhibited significantly worse function outcomes (p < 0.001). Predictive risk factors for the "high burden of all symptom group" included older age, lower self-efficacy, worse body image, and a higher financial burden. Similarly, patients with high burden of psychological symptom were more likely to have low self-efficacy, poor body image, and a high financial burden.

Conclusion

The study demonstrated the importance of giving more attention to patients with breast cancer who are at risk of developing into membership of high symptom cluster burden group.

Exploring fear of cancer recurrence and related factors among breast cancer patients: A cross-sectional study

AIMS

Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is a multifaceted concept influenced by individual characteristics, social support, psychological factors. This study aims to identify distinct FCR profiles among breast cancer patients and explore the associated variables with these patterns.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2022 to March 2023.

METHODS

A convenience sample of 339 patients completed a questionnaire that assessed general and disease-related data, including the Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form, Social Support Rating Scale, Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire. Statistical analysis involved latent profile analysis (LPA) and multinomial logistic regression.

RESULTS

Three latent patterns of FCR were found: the low fear (28.9%), the moderate fear (51.3%), and the high fear (18.0%). The study identified the social support, family monthly income, employment status, utilization of confrontation coping mode and avoidance coping mode, as factors that impacted the FCR.

CONCLUSIONS

Social support, family monthly income, employment status, and medical coping modes have been found to impact the FCR among newly diagnosed breast cancer patients. Healthcare professionals should focus on addressing FCR at diagnosis and implement effective interventions, such as promoting social support and encouraging adaptive coping, to alleviate this concern.

IMPACT

Urgently addressing the FCR in Chinese breast cancer patients is imperative due to its profound influence on their holistic health. Through advanced LPA, we categorized the FCR progression, highlighting risks. These findings have implications for healthcare strategies, offering new insights to manage the FCR and improve patient well-being. Our study adds a fresh perspective to the factors underlying the FCR in breast cancer patients, contributing to the broader comprehension and management of this complex survivorship issue.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

No patient or public contribution.

Self-compassion and parenting efficacy among mothers who are breast cancer survivors: Implications for psychological distress

Mothers who are breast cancer survivors may experience psychological distress in relation to diminished parenting efficacy. Self-compassion may protect mothers from psychological distress, yet little is known about self-compassion in this population. The extent to which self-warmth (self-kindness, mindfulness and sense of common humanity) and self-coldness (self-judgement, isolation and over-identification) dimensions of self-compassion moderate parenting efficacy in predicting depression, anxiety and stress was examined in a sample of 95 mothers who were breast cancer survivors. Independently, poorer parenting efficacy was associated with more depression and stress symptoms. Within regression models, self-coldness was a direct predictor of depression, anxiety and stress, while self-warmth moderated the relationship between parenting efficacy and stress. Self-warmth presents as a potential protective factor for stress associated with poor parenting efficacy, while self-coldness is a potential direct risk factor for psychological distress. Mothers who are breast cancer survivors may benefit from self-compassion focused psychosocial interventions.

Psychological symptom burden associated with malignant wounds: Secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

Patients with malignant wounds suffer from physical and psychological symptom burden. Despite psychological support being required, the impact of malignant wounds on patients' psychological distress is poorly investigated. We evaluated psychological distress associated with malignant wounds for patients at their end of life.

METHODS

This study used the secondary analysis of the results of a large prospective cohort study, which investigated the dying process among patients with advanced cancer in 23 palliative care units in Japan. The primary outcome of this study was the prevalence of moderate to severe psychological symptom burden, evaluated by the Integrated Palliative Care Outcome Scale (IPOS)-feeling at peace scores of 2-4. In addition, the factors affecting psychological symptoms were investigated. The quality of death was also evaluated upon death using the Good Death Scale score.

RESULTS

Out of the total 1896 patients, 156 had malignant wounds (8.2%). Malignant wounds were more common in female and young people. The breast, head, and neck were the most prevalent primary sites. More patients with malignant wounds had IPOS-feeling at peace scores of 2-4 than patients without malignant wounds (41.0% vs. 31.3%, p = 0.024). Furthermore, psychological distress was associated with moderate to severe IPOS-pain and the frequency of dressing changes. The presence of malignant wounds did not affect the quality of death.

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS

This study showed increased psychological distress due to malignant wounds. Patients with malignant wounds require psychological support in addition to the treatment of physical symptoms for maintaining their quality of life.

Psychological issues in breast cancer survivors confronted with motherhood: Literature review and a call to action

Breast cancer is currently the most common cancer among women worldwide; in 15-25% of cases, patients are premenopausal at the time of diagnosis, and 50% of women desire pregnancy after cancer diagnosis. Motherhood after breast cancer involves complex psychological challenges with long-term consequences, though it is safely pursuable with adequate support. The purpose of this mini-review is to analyze the psychological implications surrounding pregnancy and motherhood after breast cancer and promote action in addressing the challenges that might affect women facing these life events.

The predictive role of intolerance of uncertainty and trait of worry in breast cancer patients: A prospective, observational, single-center clinical study

Background

Breast cancer diagnosis and treatment compromise well-being in a pervasive way, and negative consequences may remain after recovery. The psychological side of breast cancer has been extensively investigated; however, the role of intrusive thoughts and intolerance of uncertainty have been studied less systematically.

Objectives

The present study aimed to prospectively evaluate worry content, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress symptoms and to define the role of the trait of worry and intolerance of uncertainty (IU) related to breast cancer.

Methods

Patients with their first breast cancer diagnosis were enrolled in a single-center, prospective observational trial. The trait of worry and IU were assessed using the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) and the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale-Revised (IUS-R). The psychological aspects were evaluated using the Worry Domains Questionnaire (WDQ), the Beck Anxiety (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R). Questionnaires were administered in a randomized sequence at diagnosis (T0), 3 months post-diagnosis (T1), and 12 months post-diagnosis (T2).

Results

One hundred and fifty eligible patients were enrolled in the study and provided the T0 assessment. Further compliance rates were 57% at T1 and 64% at T2. All patients showed a significant and continuous increase in the IES-R scale (p < 0.0001) from diagnosis to the end of the study, while no significant changes were observed for the WDQ, BAI, and BDI-II scales. The clinical PSWQ levels and/or high levels of the IUS-R score were the only variables that aided the distinction between patients who maintain high levels of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic disorders and those who did not.

Conclusion

An early assessment of the components of the trait of worry and intolerance of uncertainty could be critical in identifying patients with a higher psychopathological risk. Furthermore, if future studies confirm the present findings, support and monitoring throughout the prognosis may present crucial benefits, and possibly affect the course of treatment.

Fatigue severity and avoidance among individuals with chronic disease: A meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Fatigue is a common, debilitating symptom experienced by individuals with chronic disease. Avoidance, or the act of evading unwanted experiences, is associated with fatigue across chronic disease samples. The current study sought to determine the strength of association between fatigue severity and avoidance in individuals with chronic disease.

METHODS

PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses databases were searched. Eligible studies measured fatigue and avoidance in chronic disease samples. Sixty-six studies were included. Data analyses were conducted in Rstudio. A random effects model was employed, and a weighted mean effect size was computed for fatigue severity and avoidance. Mixed-effects meta-regression analyses were conducted to examine moderating variables, including patient, clinical, and measurement characteristics. Publication bias was examined using funnel plot, trim-and-fill, and p-curve.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis comprised of 71 unique patient samples from 66 studies. The total number of included participants was 13,024. A small, positive association was found between fatigue severity and avoidance, r(71) = 0.22, p < .001, 95% CI [0.18-0.27], SE = 0.02. There was also significant heterogeneity, Q(70) = 349.96, p < .001. Moderator analyses examining age, sex, illness duration, avoidance type, and disease sample were all non-significant. Regarding publication bias, trim-and-fill resulted in a modified weighted mean effect size (r(83) = 0.18, p < .001) and a p-curve analysis supported the evidential value of the current analysis.

CONCLUSION

Findings support that among individuals with chronic disease, fatigue severity and avoidance are positively associated, which has implications for behavioral interventions in this population.

The Correlation Between Radiotherapy and Patients' Fear of Cancer Recurrence: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

The purpose of this review was to explore the correlation between patients' fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) and radiotherapy. National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, China Science and Technology Journal Database, SinoMed, PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO-CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and Ovid Embase were searched to identify relevant studies. Thirty-five eligible studies were included in the systematic review, and 22 of them were included in further meta-analysis. The results of the meta-analysis showed that the level of patients' FCR was positively correlated with radiotherapy, but the correlation was weak (overall r = 0.075; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.046-0.103; P = .000). In terms of subgroup analysis based on cancer site (breast cancer vs other types of cancer), the breast cancer group (r = 0.086; 95% CI, 0.027-0.143; P = .004), the mixed-type group (r = 0.073; 95% CI, 0.033-0.112; P = .000), and the other-type group (r = 0.071; 95% CI, 0.015-0.126; P = .013) have a positive correlation with radiotherapy. Patients' FCR positively correlated with the receipt of radiotherapy. However, because of the variability among the studies, the results have limitations. Therefore, longitudinal studies are needed to verify the trajectory of FCR over radiation therapy.

[Common foundation of alexithymia and expressive suppression]

Hintergrund

Internationale Studien konnten bereits einen Zusammenhang zwischen Alexithymie und expressiver Suppression belegen. Im deutschsprachigen Raum wurde dieser Zusammenhang bisher nur sehr selten betrachtet. Übergeordnetes Ziel der vorliegenden Studie war die Untersuchung eines korrelativen und faktoriellen Zusammenhangs von Alexithymie und expressiver Suppression.

Material und Methoden

Insgesamt 317 Personen nahmen einer Onlinebefragung teil. Mithilfe der deutschsprachigen Versionen der Toronto Alexithymia Scale-26 (TAS-26) und des Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) wurden Daten zu Alexithymie und expressiver Suppression erfasst.

Ergebnisse

Es bestanden signifikante Korrelationen zwischen der Subskala „Schwierigkeit bei der Identifikation von Gefühlen“ der TAS-26 und der Skala „Unterdrückung“ des ERQ (r = 0,5; p < 0,001) sowie zwischen der Subskala „Schwierigkeit bei der Beschreibung von Gefühlen“ der TAS-26 und der Skala „Unterdrückung“ des ERQ (r = 0,64; p < 0,001). Die Ergebnisse einer explorativen Faktorenanalyse ergaben eine Zwei-Faktoren-Lösung mit einem gemeinsamen Faktor für die TAS-26-Subskalen „Schwierigkeit bei der Identifikation von Gefühlen“ und „Schwierigkeit bei der Beschreibung von Gefühlen“ und der Skala „Unterdrückung“ des ERQ mit einer gemeinsamen Varianz von 38,2 % (χ² = 363,843; p < 0,001; Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin[KMO]-Wert = 0,699).

Schlussfolgerung

Die Ergebnisse legen nahe, dass den Skalen der TAS-26 in den Komponenten „Schwierigkeit bei der Identifikation von Gefühlen“ und „Schwierigkeit bei der Beschreibung von Gefühlen“ sowie der Skala „Unterdrückung“ des ERQ in der Komponente der „expressiven Suppression“ ein gemeinsames Konstrukt zugrunde liegt, das mit dem Begriff der Sprachlosigkeit belegt werden kann.

Emotion Regulation Patterns among Colorectal Cancer Survivors: Clustering and Associations with Personal Coping Resources

Different patterns of emotion regulation have been proposed for dealing with the intense emotions elicited while coping with cancer. The relationships between these different emotion regulation patterns have not yet been studied. This study examined the usage levels of different emotion regulation patterns (repression, suppression, experiential avoidance and cognitive reappraisal), the intercorrelations and clustering of these patterns and their associations with personal coping resources (personal resilience and self-compassion) in a sample of colorectal cancer survivors. This was a cross-sectional study in which 153 colorectal cancer survivors, stages II-III, (47% female, 53% male), aged 26-87, completed the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-6, the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire, the Resilience Scale-14 and the Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form. The four emotion regulation patterns were found to be distinct from each other (i.e., low to moderate correlations). Cognitive reappraisal was negatively related to suppression and experiential avoidance and positively associated with self-compassion. Two-step cluster analysis revealed three distinct clusters: Cluster 1-the suppression-avoidance dominant cluster; Cluster 2-the cognitive reappraisal dominant cluster; and Cluster 3-the repression dominant cluster. Repression, suppression, experiential avoidance and cognitive reappraisal were found to differ from each other but able to be organized into distinct clusters of survivors. Healthcare professionals should be aware of these different emotion regulation patterns and the need to identify the patterns used by each survivor.

Sleep-Wake Disturbances in Oncology

Sleep-wake disturbances are common in patients with cancer. Despite the high prevalence of altered sleep patterns in oncology settings, there remains a gap in consistent assessment of sleep, leading to an underrecognized and undertreated condition. Provider failure in addressing sleep-wake disturbances can result in chronic issues with insomnia and has a negative impact on quality of life and cancer survivorship. Often sleep-wake disturbances present in symptom "clusters" including, anxiety, depression, and fatigue, which adds to the complexity of managing sleep disorders in oncology. Aggressive management strategies for managing underlying symptom burden from disease or medications effects is a priority.

Psychological Aspects to Consider in Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in the West World. Coping with cancer is cause of extreme stress for patients and their family. The purpose of this review is to evaluate possible approaches to follow to control those situations that can impact on quality of life (QoL) and compliance to treatments.

RECENT FINDINGS

Anxiety, distress, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder are the most frequent psychological disorders in BC patients. Cognitive disorders and sexual dysfunction can also be important in affecting QoL both in younger and older patients. Younger and older patients show different characteristics of these disorders and different strategies of managing them. Several psychotherapeutic and supportive approaches have proven effective in managing psychological disorders in BC patients. Every BC patient should be supported with these techniques during her entire oncological history, in order to increase QoL and compliance to treatments.