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Psychological distress in breast cancer patients during oncological inpatient rehabilitation: incidence, triggering factors and correlation with treatment-induced side effects

  • Gynecologic Oncology
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

As a result of the cancer diagnosis and the mostly multimodal, stressful therapy, psychological distress is a common symptom in breast cancer patients. As part of this prospective study, 1400 patients who were admitted to the hospital for oncological rehabilitation were screened for distress and somatic, therapy-induced secondary disorders. Mean distress in the screened population was 5.6 ± 2.56 (range 0–10). In 942 cases (67.3%) a significant distress score (≥ 5) was detected and in 587 cases (41.9%) very high levels of distress (≥ 7) was observed. Psychological distress significantly correlated with younger age, presence of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), tumor recurrence and metastasis, and inability to work. Treatment-induced side effects such as lymphedema, CIPN or extensive tumor resection (mastectomy) showed a (not significant) trend for higher distress. The high incidence of distress underscores the importance of psycho-oncological therapy offers and the great importance of occupational measures during oncological rehabilitation such as the importance of a successful return to work for a better quality of life in breast cancer patients.

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Funding

The authors declare that no funds, grants, or other support were received during the preparation of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Klinik Gais, Abteilung Onkologie, Dep. Innere Medizin, Gäbrisstrasse 1172, 9056, Gais, Switzerland

    Holger G. Hass

  2. Institut Für Rehabilitationsforschung Und Survivorship (IREFOS), 88175, Scheidegg, Germany

    Holger G. Hass, Marianne Seywald & Jürgen Stepien

  3. Paracelsus-Klinik, 88175, Scheidegg, Germany

    Marianne Seywald & Jürgen Stepien

  4. Frauenklinik, Universitätsklinikum, 97080, Würzburg, Germany

    Achim Wöckel

  5. Universität Würzburg, 97080, Würzburg, Germany

    Blerta Muco & Miro Tanriverdi

Authors
  1. Holger G. Hass
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  2. Marianne Seywald
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  3. Achim Wöckel
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  4. Blerta Muco
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  6. Jürgen Stepien
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Contributions

Sehr geehrter Editor-in-Chief, anbei unsere Author Contribution Liste, die auch im Manuskript aufgeführt ist Holger G. Hass Protocol/project development, manuscript writing Marianne Seywald Data collection or management Achim Wöckel Protocol/project development, manuscript editing Blerta Muco Data collection or management Miro Tanriverdi Data collection or management Jürgen Stepien Data analysis, manuscript editing.

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Correspondence to Holger G. Hass.

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Hass, H.G., Seywald, M., Wöckel, A. et al. Psychological distress in breast cancer patients during oncological inpatient rehabilitation: incidence, triggering factors and correlation with treatment-induced side effects. Arch Gynecol Obstet 307, 919–925 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-022-06657-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-022-06657-3

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