Florence Lewis1, Isabelle Merckaert2, Aurore Liénard2, Yves Libert2, Anne-Marie Etienne3, Christine Reynaert4, Jean-Louis Slachmuylder5, Pierre Scalliet6, Van Houtte Paul2, Philippe Coucke7, Emile Salamon8, Darius Razavi9. 1. Université Libre de Bruxelles, Faculté des Sciences Psychologiques et de l'Éducation, Brussels, Belgium. 2. Université Libre de Bruxelles, Faculté des Sciences Psychologiques et de l'Éducation, Brussels, Belgium; Institut Jules Bordet, Brussels, Belgium. 3. Université de Liège, Faculté des Sciences Psychologiques et de l'Éducation, Liège, Belgium. 4. Université Catholique de Louvain, Faculté de Psychologie et des Sciences de l'Éducation, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. 5. C.P.O. (Centre de Psycho-Oncologie), Brussels, Liège, Belgium. 6. Université Catholique de Louvain, Faculté de Médecine, Brussels, Belgium. 7. Université de Liège, Faculté de Médecine, Liège, Belgium. 8. Clinique Saint-Elisabeth, Namur, Belgium. 9. Université Libre de Bruxelles, Faculté des Sciences Psychologiques et de l'Éducation, Brussels, Belgium; Institut Jules Bordet, Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: drazavi@ulb.ac.be.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To our knowledge, no study has specifically assessed the time course of anxiety during radiotherapy (RT). The objective of this study was to assess anxiety time courses in patients with non-metastatic breast cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This multicenter, descriptive longitudinal study included 213 consecutive patients with breast cancer who completed visual analog scales (VASs) assessing state anxiety before and after the RT simulation and the first and last five RT sessions. RESULTS: Pre- and post-session anxiety mean levels were highest at the RT simulation (respectively, 2.9±2.9 and 1.6±2.5) and first RT session (respectively, 3.4±2.9 and 2.0±2.4), then declined rapidly. Clinically relevant mean differences (⩾1cm on the VAS) between pre- and post-simulation/session VAS scores were found only for the RT simulation (-1.3±2.7; p<0.001) and first RT session (-1.4±2.4; p<0.001). Five percent to 16% of patients presented clinically relevant anxiety (pre- and post-simulation/session VAS scores⩾4cm) throughout treatment. CONCLUSIONS: To optimize care, RT team members should offer all patients appropriate information about treatment at the simulation, check patients' understanding, and identify patients with clinically relevant anxiety requiring appropriate support throughout RT.
PURPOSE: To our knowledge, no study has specifically assessed the time course of anxiety during radiotherapy (RT). The objective of this study was to assess anxiety time courses in patients with non-metastatic breast cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This multicenter, descriptive longitudinal study included 213 consecutive patients with breast cancer who completed visual analog scales (VASs) assessing state anxiety before and after the RT simulation and the first and last five RT sessions. RESULTS: Pre- and post-session anxiety mean levels were highest at the RT simulation (respectively, 2.9±2.9 and 1.6±2.5) and first RT session (respectively, 3.4±2.9 and 2.0±2.4), then declined rapidly. Clinically relevant mean differences (⩾1cm on the VAS) between pre- and post-simulation/session VAS scores were found only for the RT simulation (-1.3±2.7; p<0.001) and first RT session (-1.4±2.4; p<0.001). Five percent to 16% of patients presented clinically relevant anxiety (pre- and post-simulation/session VAS scores⩾4cm) throughout treatment. CONCLUSIONS: To optimize care, RT team members should offer all patients appropriate information about treatment at the simulation, check patients' understanding, and identify patients with clinically relevant anxiety requiring appropriate support throughout RT.
Authors: A Waters; M Alizadeh; C Filion; F Ashbury; J Pun; M P Chagnon; A Legrain; M A Fortin Journal: Curr Oncol Date: 2016-08-12 Impact factor: 3.677