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Estimation of anxiety and depression in patients with early stage breast cancer before and after radiation therapy

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Abstract

Background

Most previous studies about anxiety and depression in patients undergoing radiotherapy have only measured the quantity of general depression and anxiety and have not studied specific periods of involvement. The aim of this study was to assess anxiety and depression among early breast cancer patients, and the anxiety experienced immediately before and after radiotherapy.

Methods

Women who started radiotherapy for stage I or II breast cancer (n = 172) were asked to answer two questionnaires: the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Radiotherapy Categorical Anxiety Scale immediately before and after radiation therapy.

Results

The results showed that the mean scores of anxiety and depression (HADS and Radiotherapy Categorical Anxiety Scale) decreased after radiotherapy. The mean score of depression (HAD-D) in the group receiving conventional radiotherapy was higher than in those receiving hypofractionated radiotherapy before and after radiotherapy. The mean scores of anxiety and depression (HADS) in the endocrine therapy group were lower than in the group without endocrine therapy before treatment. However, the scores after treatment of both groups were not significant.

Conclusion

Some intervention may be needed to decrease the temporary anxiety and depression raised during radiotherapy for early stage breast cancer patients. This is especially so for patients who do not receive concurrent endocrine therapy and choose the conventional radiotherapy course.

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Acknowledgments

We wish to acknowledge the assistance of Kazue Niki in analyzing the data, and the participants in this study, and staff who worked for the Department of Radiology, Juntendo University Hospital during this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical School, Saitama, Japan

    Eri Kawase & Naoshi Horikawa

  2. Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan

    Kumiko Karasawa, Hiromi Izawa, Hisako Hirowatari, Anneyuko I. Saito & Kana Ito

  3. Department of Social Welfare, Kyushu University of Health and Welfare, Miyazaki, Japan

    Sakie Shimotsu

Authors
  1. Eri Kawase
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  2. Kumiko Karasawa
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  3. Sakie Shimotsu
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  4. Hiromi Izawa
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  5. Hisako Hirowatari
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  6. Anneyuko I. Saito
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  7. Kana Ito
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  8. Naoshi Horikawa
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kumiko Karasawa.

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Kawase, E., Karasawa, K., Shimotsu, S. et al. Estimation of anxiety and depression in patients with early stage breast cancer before and after radiation therapy. Breast Cancer 19, 147–152 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12282-010-0220-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12282-010-0220-y

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