Abstract
Aims
We set out to determine whether a difference exists between levels of psychological distress in women diagnosed with breast cancer through routine screening versus those who presented symptomatically.
Methods
We assessed levels of distress in comparable numbers of patients with screen-detected and non-screen-detected female breast cancer patients being treated with curative intent, using the Hospital Anxiety and Distress Scale (HADS) (total n = 93).
Results
In both cohorts, 50.5% scored above threshold for anxiety, depression, or both. Being aged over 60 was associated with concomitant positive anxiety and depression screening in both cohorts. Financial stress was associated with positive depression scores. No statistically significant difference was found between HADS scores for screen-detected versus self-detected patients.
Conclusion
Over 50% of patients with screen-detected or symptomatic breast cancer experience high levels of distress. Consideration should be made for the routine use of distress screening in this population.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Burgess C, Cornelius V, Love S et al (2005) Depression and anxiety in women with early breast cancer: five-year observational cohort study. BMJ 330(7493):702
Krebber AMH, Buffart LM, Kleijn G et al (2014) Prevalence of depression in cancer patients: a meta analysis of diagnostic interviews and self-report instruments. Psycho-Oncology 23:121–130
Stafford L, Judd F, Gibson P et al (2013) Screening for depression and anxiety in women with breast and gynaecologic cancer: course and prevalence of morbidity over 12 months. Psycho-Oncology 22(1):2071–2078
Breast Check. Programme Report 2012–2013. http://www.breastcheck.ie/sites/default/files/bcheck/documents/bc_pr_2013.pdf. Accessed 12 Sept 2014
IBM Corp. Released 2011. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 20.0. IBM Corp, Armonk
Jehn CF, Flath B, Strux A et al (2012) Influence of age, performance status, cancer activity, and IL-6 on anxiety and depression in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 136:789–794
Hill A, Hern RA, Fallowfield L (1999) Are we using appropriate self-report questionnaires for detecting anxiety and depression in women with early breast cancer? Eur J Cancer 35:79–85
Iwatani T, Matsuda A, Kawabata H et al (2013) Predictive factors for psychological distress related to diagnosis of breast cancer. Psycho-Oncology 22(3):523–529
de Moor JS, Partridge A, Winer E et al (2010) The role of socioeconomic status in adjustment after ductal carcinoma in situ. Cancer 116(5):1218–1225
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jane McSweeney, L., O’Mahony, D., Battley, J.E. et al. The impact of mode of presentation on distress in patients with early stage breast cancer. Ir J Med Sci 186, 69–71 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-016-1543-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-016-1543-2