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Cancer or No Cancer: The Influence of Trait Anxiety and Diagnosis on Quality of Life With Breast Cancer and Benign Disease: A Prospective, Longitudinal Study

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Abstract

Background

High trait anxiety (HTA) causes an impaired quality of life (QOL) and fatigue in women with breast cancer (BC) and benign breast disease (BBD). We examined whether the lowered QOL was determined solely by the personality characteristic HTA or by the combination of personality and diagnosis.

Methods

In a prospective longitudinal study, women with BC (n = 152), BBD (n = 205), or gallstone disease (GD) before laparoscopic cholecystectomy (n = 128) were included. Questionnaires concerning trait anxiety (baseline), fatigue, and QOL were completed at baseline and at 6 months. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to analyze the predictors for QOL at 6 months.

Results

At 6 months QOL scores were increased in the GD group, especially in women without HTA. For women without HTA, in the BBD group the scores for fatigue and physical QOL had improved at 6 months, whereas in the BC group physical QOL and fatigue was impaired. Women with HTA scored unfavorably on fatigue and QOL. HTA was the most important factor influencing QOL.

Conclusions

The course of QOL and fatigue during follow-up were significantly different for each diagnosis. Particularly HTA had a negative impact on QOL and fatigue. Especially the combination HTA and BC caused impaired QOL and fatigue. We recommend identifying women with BC and HTA and offer them a tailor-made follow-up protocol.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank M. Schriek, M. F. Ernst, and F. W. C. van der Ent for their help in patient accrual.

Conflict of interest

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Surgery, Beatrix Children’s Hospital, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Claudia M. G. Keyzer-Dekker

  2. Pediatric Surgical Centre of Amsterdam, Emma Children’s Hospital AMC and VU University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 22660, 1100 DD, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Claudia M. G. Keyzer-Dekker & Alida F. W. van der Steeg

  3. Centre of Research on Psychology in Somatic Disease (CoRPS), Tilburg University, Warandelaan 2, 5037 AB, Tilburg, The Netherlands

    Jolanda de Vries, Marlies C. Mertens, Jan A. Roukema & Alida F. W. van der Steeg

  4. Department of Medical Psychology, St. Elisabeth Hospital, Hilvarenbeekseweg 60, 5022 GC, Tilburg, The Netherlands

    Jolanda de Vries

  5. Department of Medical Psychology, Jeroen Bosch Hospital, Henri Dunantstraat 1, 5223 GZ, ’s Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands

    Marlies C. Mertens

  6. Department of Surgery, St. Elisabeth Hospital, Hilvarenbeekseweg 60, 5022 GC, Tilburg, The Netherlands

    Jan A. Roukema & Alida F. W. van der Steeg

Authors
  1. Claudia M. G. Keyzer-Dekker
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  2. Jolanda de Vries
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  3. Marlies C. Mertens
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  4. Jan A. Roukema
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  5. Alida F. W. van der Steeg
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Correspondence to Claudia M. G. Keyzer-Dekker.

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Keyzer-Dekker, C.M.G., de Vries, J., Mertens, M.C. et al. Cancer or No Cancer: The Influence of Trait Anxiety and Diagnosis on Quality of Life With Breast Cancer and Benign Disease: A Prospective, Longitudinal Study. World J Surg 37, 2140–2147 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-013-2088-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-013-2088-4

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