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Physical symptoms/side effects during breast cancer treatment predict posttreatment distress

  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Background: Studies suggest that the period following completion of treatment can be distressing for cancer patients. One potentially important predictor of distress is physical symptoms/side effects during treatment.Purpose: A longitudinal, observational design was used to examine whether the number of physical symptoms/side effects experienced during treatment was a correlate of cancer-related distress and general distress 4 months after treatment completion, as measured by the Impact of Events Scale and the Mental Health subscale of the Short Form-36, respectively.Methods: Participants were 151 women who had completed chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy for ductal carcinoma in situ or stage 1 or 2 breast cancer. Hierarchical multiple regression was conducted with relevant sociodemographic, clinical, and psychiatric variables entered as controls.Results: Greater physical symptoms/side effects predicted greater total cancer-related distress, intrusive thoughts, and general distress. Physical symptoms/side effects did not significantly predict avoidance. Follow-up analyses indicated that the relationship between physical symptoms/side effects and general distress was mediated by both total cancer-related distress and intrusive thoughts.Conclusions: These results suggest that patients who experience greater physical symptoms/side effects during treatment are at greater risk for later cancer-related distress and, in turn, general distress. Future research should evaluate whether early intervention with these patients is effective in preventing or reducing distress in the posttreatment period.

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Author notes

  1. Heather S. Jim Ph.D.

    Present address: Health Outcomes and Behavior Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, MRC-PSY, 12902 Magnolia Drive, 33612, Tampa, FL

Authors and Affiliations

  1. H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, University of South Florida, USA

    Heather S. Jim Ph.D., Pamela N. Munster M.D. & Paul B. Jacobsen Ph.D.

  2. University of Kentucky College of Medicine, USA

    Michael A. Andrykowski Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Heather S. Jim Ph.D.
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  2. Michael A. Andrykowski Ph.D.
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  3. Pamela N. Munster M.D.
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  4. Paul B. Jacobsen Ph.D.
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Additional information

This work was supported by a grant from the National Cancer Institute (5R01 CA082822).

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Jim, H.S., Andrykowski, M.A., Munster, P.N. et al. Physical symptoms/side effects during breast cancer treatment predict posttreatment distress. ann. behav. med. 34, 200–208 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02872674

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