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Does chemotherapy reduce stress?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 September 2010

Francisco Gil ,
G. Costa  and
F.J. Pérez
Francisco Gil*
Affiliation:
Psychooncology Unit, Hospital Duran I Reynals, Institut Català d′Oncologia, L′Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
G. Costa
Affiliation:
Psychiatry Service, Hospital de Mataró, Mataró. Barcelona, Spain
F.J. Pérez
Affiliation:
Clinical Research Unit, Medical Oncology Service, Hospital Duran I Reynals, Institut Català d′Oncologia. L′Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Francisco Gil, Psychooncology Unit, Hospital Duran I Reynals. Institut Català d′Oncologia, 08907- L′Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain. E-mail: fgil@iconcologia.net
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Abstract

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to assess the psychological care needs of cancer patients throughout the healthcare process: after diagnosis, after medical treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy) and during follow-up.

Method:

A total of 703 ambulatory cancer patients were assessed in this study. The inclusion period was from April 1, 2005 to April 30, 2007. The first psychological scales used were the 14-item Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales (HADS), which has two sub-scales for anxiety (7 items) and for depression (7 items). All patients with a score ≥14 were assessed through the Structured Clinical Interview for Psychiatric Disorder (SCID-I) of the DSM-IV. All data were compared with sociodemographic and medical characteristics.

Results:

Of the 703 cancer patients in the study, 349 were men and 354 women, with a mean age of 53 years. The median time between the cancer diagnosis and our clinical interview was 6 months (range, 12 days to 190 months). Overall, the screening tools indicated that one in four patients needed psychological care. The most common psychiatric diagnosis was adjustment disorder (129 cases), whereas 10 patients were diagnosed with major depression. Using a HADS cut-off score of >7 for anxiety and depression, 28% and 17% of patients, respectively, were classified as “possible clinical cases.” Risk factors for distress included age <65 years, asthenia, constipation, and a low performance status. However, chemotherapy treatment was found to be a protector against distress in cancer patients.

Significance of Results:

Chemotherapy treatment is interpreted by the patients as a protector against cancer, thereby reducing distress levels.

Keywords

CancerChemotherpyStress
Type
Original Articles
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 8 , Issue 4 , December 2010 , pp. 455 - 460
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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