Assessment of psychosocial factors and distress in women having adjuvant endocrine therapy for breast cancer: the relationship among emotional distress and patient and treatment-related factors

Health-promoting behaviours and psychological distress in breast cancer with endocrine therapy: Mediating roles of menopausal symptoms and social support

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between health-promotion behaviour and psychological distress and whether menopausal symptoms and social support mediate these relationships in patients with breast cancer receiving endocrine therapy.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a cross-sectional study involving convenience sampling that involved 226 patients with breast cancer.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Participants were investigated by self-reporting questionnaires that included demographic and clinical information, the Kessler psychological distress scale, the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile Ⅱ, the Menopause Rating Scale, and the Perceived Social Support Survey to measure psychological distress, health-promoting behaviour, menopausal symptoms, and social support, respectively. Mediation analyses were conducted with the bootstrapping method to test for mediating factors.

RESULTS

In total, 78.7% patients reported that they were suffering from psychological distress. Their health-promoting behaviours were directly and negatively associated with psychological distress. In addition, health-promoting behaviour had a significant indirect effect on psychological distress through menopausal symptoms and social support. Mediating effects accounted for 34.8% and 27.6% of the total effect, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

There was a high prevalence of psychological distress in patients with breast cancer receiving endocrine therapy. Menopausal symptoms and social support mediated the association between health-promoting behaviour and psychological distress. Health professionals should evaluate menopausal symptoms and health lifestyles, and provide professional interventions to increase health-promoting behaviours and manage unpleasant somatic symptoms for patients and their caregivers; these actions may improve their psychological distress.

Revie ⊕: Impact of a resource-based life review intervention on patients with advanced cancer: A waitlist controlled trial

PURPOSE

Life review interventions aim to support individuals facing an incurable disease accompanied by existential concerns and health-related challenges. Based on encouraging feasibility results, this study assessed the effects of Revie ⊕ life review intervention on the self-esteem of patients with advanced cancer, and the effects on well-being, post-traumatic growth, life satisfaction, symptom burden and interaction with nurses.

METHOD

The study consisted of a two-arm parallel-group, waitlist-controlled trial (WCT) in the oncology division of a Swiss-French University Hospital. Revie ⊕ was composed of nurse-led meeting with the patient to address and document significant life events using a strengths-focused approach and targeting the life project.

RESULTS

Due to Covid-19 pandemic, adjustments were made regarding study duration and participant's allocation: Fifty-eight patients received Revie ⊕, 39 completed all the measurements. Self-esteem was high at baseline and maintained stability over time. The social well-being decreased in the intervention group before-after Revie ⊕ (-1.7 (3.9), p = 0.044) while emotional and functional well-being showed stability. The intensity of symptoms decreased in the intervention group before-after Revie ⊕: 4.9 (9.4), p = 0.020.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that patients living with an advanced cancer and who received Revie ⊕ intervention may have maintained their self-esteem high over time. Observed results are promising, particularly considering the influence of the pandemic. Nevertheless, these findings do not allow us to draw definitive conclusions regarding the efficacy of the intervention on self-esteem. WCT seems not to be the appropriate design to highlight the added value of Revie ⊕ for this particularly vulnerable population.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT04254926.

Symptom Clusters and Quality of Life in Patients With Breast Cancer Receiving Endocrine Therapy in China

OBJECTIVES

Breast cancer patients undergoing endocrine therapy experience various symptoms that have long-term effects on their quality of life. However, which symptom clusters are expressed and affect patients' quality of life remain significantly controversial. Therefore, we aimed to explore symptom clusters among breast cancer patients receiving endocrine therapy and identify the impact of these clusters on their quality of life.

DATA SOURCES

This secondary analysis of data from a cross-sectional study aimed to explore the symptom experiences and quality of life of breast cancer patients receiving endocrine therapy. The participants were invited to complete the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B) and Endocrine Subscale (ES). Principal component analysis, Spearman correlation analyses, and multiple linear regression were used to explore symptom clusters and identify their influence on quality of life.

CONCLUSION

Data from 613 participants were obtained, and 19 symptoms were included in the principal component analysis, which identified five symptom clusters: the systemic, pain and emotional, sexual, vaginal, and vasomotor symptom clusters. Adjustment for covariates revealed that the systemic and pain and emotional symptom clusters were negative predictors of quality of life. The fitted model explained approximately 38.1% of the variance.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

This study demonstrated that breast cancer patients receiving endocrine therapy experienced symptoms that tended to occur in five clusters (i.e., systemic, pain and emotional, sexual, vaginal, and vasomotor symptoms). Developing interventions for the systemic and pain and emotional symptom clusters may effectively improve patients' quality of life.

Propranolol, Promising Chemosensitizer and Candidate for the Combined Therapy through Disruption of Tumor Microenvironment Homeostasis by Decreasing the Level of Carbonic Anhydrase IX

Resistance to chemotherapy represents a persisting medical problem, ranking among main causes of chemotherapy failure and cancer mortality. There is a possibility to utilize and repurpose already existing therapeutics which were not primarily intended for oncological treatment. Overactivation of adrenergic receptors and signaling dysregulation promotes tumor progression, metastatic potential, immune system evasion, tumor angiogenesis and drug resistance. The non-selective beta-blocker propranolol, approved in infantile haemangioma treatment, has a high potential for use in cancer therapy. We analyzed the effects of propranolol and 5-fluorouracil combination on sensitive and resistant cells derived from colorectal carcinoma in monolayers, single-component and co-culture spheroids and in vivo mouse models. Our results revealed that propranolol is able to exert its effect not only in chemosensitive colorectal cells, but also in 5-fluorouracil resistant cells. Propranolol disrupts the hypoxic adaptation machinery by inhibiting HIF1α, carbonic anhydrase IX, and activates apoptosis, which may be important in the management of chemo-resistant patients. We showed that propranolol slows down the growth of xenografts formed from colorectal cancer cells, even from cells already adapted to the β-blocker. We provide clear evidence that blockade of β-adrenergic receptors affects essential signaling pathways modulating tumor microenvironment and thus the response to anticancer therapy. Our findings indicate that propranolol could be repurposed to serve as chemosensitizer in combined therapy aimed at disrupting homeostasis of tumor microenvironment.

Contemporaneous symptom networks and correlates during endocrine therapy among breast cancer patients: A network analysis

Background

Endocrine therapy-related symptoms are associated with early discontinuation and quality of life among breast cancer survivors. Although previous studies have examined these symptoms and clinical covariates, little is known about the interactions among different symptoms and correlates. This study aimed to explore the complex relationship of endocrine therapy-related symptoms and to identify the core symptoms among breast cancer patients.

Methods

This is a secondary data analysis conducted based on a multicenter cross-sectional study of 613 breast cancer patients in China. All participants completed the 19-item Chinese version of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Endocrine Subscale (FACT-ES). Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to identify significant factors. A contemporaneous network with 15 frequently occurring symptoms was constructed after controlling for age, payment, use of aromatase inhibitors, and history of surgery. Network comparison tests were used to assess differences in network structure across demographic and treatment characteristics.

Results

All 613 participants were female, with an average age of 49 years (SD = 9.4). The average duration of endocrine therapy was 3.6 years (SD = 2.3) and the average symptom score was 18.99 (SD = 11.43). Irritability (n = 512, 83.52%) and mood swings (n = 498, 81.24%) were the most prevalent symptoms. Lost interest in sex (mean = 1.95, SD = 1.39) and joint pain (mean = 1.57, SD = 1.18) were the most severe symptoms. The edges in the clusters of emotional symptoms ("irritability-mood swings"), vasomotor symptoms ("hot flashes-cold sweats-night sweats"), vaginal symptoms ("vaginal discharge-vaginal itching"), sexual symptoms ("pain or discomfort with intercourse-lost interest in sex-vaginal dryness"), and neurological symptoms ("headaches-dizziness") were the thickest in the network. There were no significant differences in network structure (P = 0.088), and global strength (P = 0.330) across treatment types (selective estrogen receptor modulators vs. aromatase inhibitors). Based on an evaluation of the centrality indices, irritability and mood swings appeared to be structurally important nodes after adjusting for the clinical covariates and after performing subgroup comparisons.

Conclusion

Endocrine therapy-related symptoms are frequently reported issues among breast cancer patients. Our findings demonstrated that developing targeted interventions focused on emotional symptoms may relieve the overall symptom burden for breast cancer patients during endocrine therapy.

Social hobbies can increase self-esteem and quality of life in female breast cancer patients with type A personality trait: KRATOS study

Self-esteem is a way of coping with stress for cancer patients and this improves their quality of life. It was aimed to determine the relationship between type A personality traits and self-esteem and quality of life in women with breast cancer and to determine the effective factors. 154 women with breast cancer and 78 healthy women were included. Bortner's Rating scale, Rosenberg's Self-Esteem scale, and EORTC QOL-C30 scale were used. The relationship between the presence of hobbies, self-esteem, quality of life, and personality type was examined. Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, Fisher's Exact, and Spearman Rank correlation tests were performed. Independent factors affecting personality type, self-esteem, and quality of life were determined by multivariate logistic (binary) regression analysis. The p < 0.05 value was significant in the SPSS v19 program. There was no age difference between the patients (54 ± 11 years) and the control group (42 ± 8 years) (p = 0.108). The rate of type A personality was 69% in patients and 58% in controls (p = 0.093). Similarly, the rate of high self-esteem was 93% in patients and 96% in controls (p = 0.098). Besides personality type and self-esteem, there was no relationship between personality type and quality of life in cancer patients (p = 0.960 and p = 0.946, respectively). A relationship was established between self-esteem and quality of life (p = 0.018) in patients. In patients with type A personality, hobbies providing socially active communication were common (p = 0.039), and had more than two hobbies (p = 0.015). Type A personality trait was independently effective on self-esteem (p = 0.046). Hobby orientation and the number of hobbies had independent effects on self-esteem (p = 0.032, p = 0.041), quality of life (respectively, p = 0.004, p = 0.007), and personality type (respectively, p = 0.014, p = 0.027). Hobbies that provide active social communication may have important effects on changes in personality traits, self-esteem, and quality of life in patients with breast cancer.

Sympathetic modulation of tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced nociception in the presence of oral squamous cell carcinoma

ABSTRACT

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) causes more severe pain and psychological stress than other types of cancer. Despite clinical evidence linking pain, stress, and cancer progression, the underlying relationship between pain and sympathetic neurotransmission in oral cancer is unknown. We found that human HNSCC tumors and mouse tumor tissue are innervated by peripheral sympathetic and sensory nerves. Moreover, β-adrenergic 1 and 2 receptors (β-ARs) are overexpressed in human oral cancer cell lines, and norepinephrine treatment increased β-AR2 protein expression as well as cancer cell proliferation in vitro. We have recently demonstrated that inhibition of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) signaling reduces oral cancer-induced nociceptive behavior. Norepinephrine-treated cancer cell lines secrete more TNFα which, when applied to tongue-innervating trigeminal neurons, evoked a larger Ca 2+ transient; TNF-TNFR inhibitor blocked the increase in the evoked Ca 2+ transient. Using an orthotopic xenograft oral cancer model, we found that mice demonstrated significantly less orofacial cancer-induced nociceptive behavior during systemic β-adrenergic inhibitory treatment with propranolol. Furthermore, chemical sympathectomy using guanethidine led to a significant reduction in tumor size and nociceptive behavior. We infer from these results that sympathetic signaling modulates oral cancer pain through TNFα secretion and tumorigenesis. Further investigation of the role of neurocancer communication in cancer progression and pain is warranted.

Anxiety levels of breast cancer patients in Turkey during the COVID-19 pandemic

Aim: To assess the anxiety levels of breast cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials & methods: A total of 298 patients completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S and STAI-T) and the Visual Analogue Scale for Anxiety (VAS) and VAS for Anxiety in COVID-19 (VAS-CoV). Results: 144 patients were in the high anxiety category for STAI-S, and 202 patients were in the high anxiety category for STAI-T. STAI-T score was significantly high in the metastatic group (p = 0.017). VAS-CoV score in the hormonotherapy group was significantly higher than in the no-treatment group (p = 0.023). There was a positive correlation between VAS-CoV and VAS levels (r = 0.708, p < 0.001), VAS-CoV and STAI-S and STAI-T scores (r = 0.402, p < 0.001; r = 0.185, p = 0.001, respectively), and a negative correlation between education years and STAI-T scores (r = -0.172, p = 0.003). Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic is related to high anxiety levels in breast cancer patients.

COVID-19 pandemic is related to rapidly rising anxiety levels worldwide. Because of the high mortality of COVID-19 in cancer patients, changing treatment routines and disruptions of the healthcare system, cancer patients are the most affected population in this situation. Anxiety among females and breast cancer patients tend to be high, although anxiety levels in cancer patients during the pandemic period varies according to the cancer type, treatment status and sociodemographic factors. This study assessed the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on breast cancer patients' anxiety levels according to treatment status and stage of the disease. A total of 298 breast cancer patients completed the universally validated anxiety questionnaires. Results demonstrated high trait anxiety in breast cancer patients, particularly in the metastatic group. The current findings highlighted the importance of intensive assessment and close monitoring of breast cancer patients' psychological situations. It is crucial to provide psychological support to breast cancer patients to contribute to both treatment and follow-up processes during the pandemic.

Body image dissatisfaction and lower self-esteem as major predictors of poor sleep quality in gynecological cancer patients after surgery: cross-sectional study

Background

Sleep quality is among the indicators associated with the quality of life of patients with cancer. A multitude of factors may affect patient sleep quality and are considered as associated predictive factors. The aim of this study was to examine the predictors of poor sleep quality in Moroccan women with gynecological cancer after radical surgery.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out at the Oncology Department of the Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca (Morocco), on women who had undergone radical surgery for gynecological cancer (n = 100; mean age: 50.94 years). To assess sleep quality, symptoms of depression and anxiety, self-esteem and body image, the following translated and validated Arabic versions of the tools were used: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale and Body Image Scale. To determine predictors of sleep quality, multiple linear and hierarchical regressions were used.

Results

78% of participants were considered poor sleepers, most of them exhibited very poor subjective quality (53%), longer sleep onset latency (55%), short period of sleep (42%) and low rate of usual sleep efficiency (47%). 79% of these patients did not use sleep medication and 28% were in poor shape during the day. Waking up in the middle of the night or early in the morning and getting up to use the bathroom were the main reasons for poor sleep quality. Higher PSQI scores were positively correlated with higher scores of anxiety, depression, body image dissatisfaction and with lower self-esteem (p < 0.001). The medical coverage system, body image dissatisfaction and low self-esteem predicted poor sleep quality. After controlling for the socio-demographic variables (age and medical coverage system), higher body image dissatisfaction and lower self-esteem significantly predicted lower sleep quality.

Conclusion

Body image dissatisfaction and lower self-esteem were positively linked to sleep disturbance in women with gynecological cancer after undergone radical surgery. These two predictors require systematic evaluation and adequate management to prevent sleep disorders and mental distress as well as improving the quality of life of these patients.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12905-021-01375-5.

Anxio-depressive symptoms in Moroccan women with gynecological cancer: Relief factors

INTRODUCTION

Psychosocial determinants can affect the mental health of women who have been diagnosed with gynecological cancer. The aim of this study was to examine how social support and self-esteem are associated with anxiety and depression symptoms in women with gynecological cancer, and who are treated by radical surgery.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was performed, within the oncology department of Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, on 100 Moroccan women. They all had undergone radical surgery for gynecological cancer, hysterectomy and/or oophorectomy.

RESULTS

Our results showed that patients with gynecological cancer treated by radical surgery exhibited high prevalence rates of anxiety (66%) and depression symptoms (59%). Associations showed that age, having children, medical coverage system, area of residence, working status and socioeconomic status were significantly related to the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms (P<0.05). The general social support, family support and significant other support besides high self-esteem reduce significantly the risk of getting anxiety and depression symptoms (P-values<0.05).

DISCUSSION

Among patients with gynecological cancer treated by radical surgery, high prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms was found. Social support and high self-esteem could help improve mental health issues related to this type of cancer.

Quality of life and psychological functioning in postmenopausal women undergoing aromatase inhibitor treatment for early breast cancer

INTRODUCTION

Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) dramatically increased breast cancer (BC) survival, leading to enhanced attention to their long-term consequences on psychological functioning. Conflicting data has been examined regarding the association between AIs administration and the clinical psychological features in BC survivors (BCSs).

PURPOSE

As psychological symptoms often occur in such chronic diseases, our study aimed at exploring anxious and depressive symptoms and the perceived quality of life (QoL) in BCSs assessed for osteoporosis.

METHODS

The total sample consisted of a clinical sample of 51 outpatient postmenopausal women, diagnosed with BC, and a control group composed of 51 healthy postmenopausal women. All recruited participants were evaluated through the clinical gold standard interview and completed the following self-rating scales: the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Beck Depression Inventory II edition, and 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, which were administered at baseline and after 6 months in BCSs in AIs treatment, compared with controls. Moreover, all participants were assessed for vitamin D status, bone mineral density (BMD) and subclinical vertebral fractures. Data regarding age, age at menopause, body mass index (BMI), smoking habits and alcohol consumption was collected.

RESULTS

BCSs (n = 51) showed higher anxious and depressive symptoms, and lower perceived QoL vs. controls (n = 51) (p<0.05 for all). After 6 months of treatment with AIs, BCSs showed significant reduction of anxious and depressive symptoms and a significantly higher perceived QoL for both physical and mental components, vs. controls.

CONCLUSIONS

The improvement of clinical psychological features and perceived QoL was associated with AIs treatment in women being treated with, for early breast cancer. Further studies are needed to obtain a deeper comprehension of the correlation between clinical psychological and physical features in BCSs.

Correlation of Clinicopathological Characteristics of Breast Carcinoma and Depression

The prevalence of depression among women with breast cancer (BC) is extremely variable in research studies. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of depressive disorder in women suffering from BC as well as to examine its relationship with clinical–pathological and immunophenotypic characteristics of BC. The study included 194 patients with BC who were diagnosed with the disease between 2009 and 2015 in the Clinical Center Kragujevac, Serbia. Pathohistological and immunohistochemical analyses was used on the material obtained after the surgical removal of breast tumors, determining all significant clinical and morphological parameters. The level of depression among the examinees confirmed that the differences in the level of depression between the histological grades were statistically significant. According to the univariate binary logistic regression, the depression of a patient correlates with the category of molecular tumor subtype/Luminal A (p < 0.0005), PR expression (p = 0.050) and lymphatic invasion (p = 0.025). Multivariate binary logistic regression showed that the onset of depression associated with the present molecular subtype of the tumor of a worse prognostic character (p = 0.019). Depression is a common disorder in women with breast cancer. The level of depression is correlates with some of the clinicоmorphological and immunophenotypic characteristics of BC.

Longer Times of Receipt of Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy Correspond to Improved Functional Capacity and Lower Adiposity in Women Receiving Adjuvant Therapy

PURPOSE

To study the use of functional capacity (FC) level and duration of aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy with adiposity parameters in women with breast cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

FC was evaluated through the Health Assessment Questionnaire, which was assessed by classification and divided into 3 groups: G1 = mild to moderate difficulty, G2 = moderate to severe disability, and G3 = severe or very severe disability. Body mass, height, and waist circumference (WC) were measured, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Bioelectrical impedance analysis was used to calculate body fat (BF) and fat-free mass. The women were divided into 2 time groups (T1 and T2), which were determined by the median months of AI use (T1 ≤ 29.5 and T2 > 29.5 months).

RESULTS

Impaired FC and adiposity parameters were significantly positively correlated. In addition, physical exercise was significantly lower in women assessed as G2 and G3 compared to those assessed as G1. The effect of FC on BMI, BF, and WC was also verified, as was the effect of the duration of AI receipt on BMI and BF. Women at T1 had significantly greater functional disability, BMI, and BF values. In addition, although not statistically significant, women in T1 who were assessed as G3 presented higher BMI, WC, and BF values than those in T2.

CONCLUSION

Adiposity above the recommended parameters and impaired FC were associated with the shortest time of receipt of adjuvant endocrine therapy with AI.

Circulating catecholamines are associated with biobehavioral factors and anxiety symptoms in head and neck cancer patients

Studies have shown that stress-related catecholamines may affect cancer progression. However, little is known about catecholamine secretion profiles in head and neck cancer patients. The present study investigated plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine levels in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients and patients with oral leukoplakia, as well as their association with clinicopathological and biobehavioral variables and anxiety symptoms. A total of 93 patients with HNSCC and 32 patients with oral leukoplakia were included. Plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine levels were measured by high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ED), and psychological anxiety levels were measured by the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine concentrations were significantly higher in patients with oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) compared to non-cancer patients. Oral SCC patients displayed plasma norepinephrine levels about six times higher than oropharyngeal SCC patients, and nine times higher than oral leukoplakia patients (p < .001). Plasma epinephrine levels in oral SCC patients were higher compared to the oropharyngeal SCC (p = .0097) and leukoplakia (p < .0001) patients. Oropharyngeal SCC patients had higher plasma norepinephrine (p = .0382) and epinephrine levels (p = .045) than patients with oral leukoplakia. Multiple regression analyses showed that a history of high alcohol consumption was predictive for reduced plasma norepinephrine levels in the oral SCC group (p < .001). Anxiety symptom of “hand tremor” measured by the BAI was an independent predictor for higher plasma norepinephrine levels in HNSCC patients (β = 157.5, p = .0377), while the “heart pounding/racing” symptom was independently associated with higher plasma epinephrine levels in the oropharyngeal SCC group (β = 15.8, p = .0441). In oral leukoplakia patients, sleep deprivation and worse sleep quality were independent predictors for higher plasma norepinephrine levels, while severe tobacco consumption and higher anxiety levels were factors for higher plasma epinephrine levels. These findings suggest that head and neck cancer patients display sympathetic nervous system hyperactivity, and that changes in circulating catecholamines may be associated with alcohol consumption, as well as withdrawal-related anxiety symptoms.

Personal and clinical social support and adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy among hormone receptor-positive breast cancer patients in an integrated health care system

PURPOSE

We evaluated associations between personal and clinical social support and non-adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) in a large, Northern California breast cancer (BC) cohort from an integrated healthcare network.

METHODS

This study included 3382 women from the Pathways Study diagnosed from 2005 to 2013 with stages I-III hormone receptor-positive BC and who responded to the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support and Interpersonal Processes of Care surveys, approximately 2 months post-diagnosis. We used logistic regression to evaluate associations between tertiles of social support and non-initiation (< 2 consecutive prescription fills within a year after diagnosis). Among those who initiated treatment, we used proportional hazards regression to evaluate associations with discontinuation (≥ 90 day gap) and non-adherence (< 80% medical possession ratio).

RESULTS

Of those who initiated AET (79%), approximately one-fourth either discontinued AET or were non-adherent. AET non-initiation was more likely in women with moderate (adjusted OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.96-1.46) or low (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.05-1.62) versus high personal social support (P trend = 0.02). Women with moderate (HR 1.20, 95% CI 0.99-1.45) or low (HR 1.32, 95% CI 1.09-1.60) personal social support were also more likely to discontinue treatment (P trend = 0.01). Furthermore, women with moderate (HR 1.25, 95% CI 1.02-1.53) or low (HR 1.38, 95% CI 1.12-1.70) personal social support had higher non-adherence (P trend = 0.007). Associations with clinical social support and outcomes were similar. Notably, high clinical social support mitigated the risk of discontinuation when patients' personal support was moderate or low (P value = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

Women with low personal or clinical social support had higher AET non-adherence. Clinician teams may need to fill support gaps that compromise treatment adherence.

Correlation between hormone receptor status and depressive symptoms in patients with metastatic breast cancer

Individual differences in depressive symptoms correlate with morbidity and outcomes in breast cancer patients. We evaluated the effect of hormone receptor (HR) status on depressive symptoms in 176 women with metastatic breast cancer at diagnosis. To assess depression, the women completed Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) questionnaires at baseline examination (T1), after 4 chemotherapy cycles (T2) and after 6 months (T3). At baseline examination, 45/176 (25.6%) patients were found to be at high or medium risk for depression (SDS score ≥0.6). Among these, depression was both prevalent in HR-positive patients and in HR-negative patients (64.4% versus 51.4%, P = 0.001). In multivariate model, HR positivity and higher depression risk were associated with poorer overall survival (25.0 months versus 32.0 months, P < 0.05). Patients at high/medium risk of depression were treated with the antidepressant agent fluoxetine (N = 23) or no drug (N = 22). SDS scores in patients treated with fluoxetine were lower after 4 chemotherapy cycles and after 6 months than in the control group (mean scores: T2, 0.61 versus 0.67, P = 0.001; T3, 0.56 versus 0.65, P < 0.001). No difference on SDS scores was found between patients with positive or negative HR status during fluoxetine treatment. These findings suggest hormone receptor status is associated with depressive symptoms in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Fluoxetine relieves depressive symptoms in these patients, regardless of hormone receptor status.