When compared to women of similar age without a cancer diagnosis and women older than 50 years with cancer, younger breast cancer survivors faced more serious mental issues than physical impacts of the disease, according to a study by researchers at UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.Younger patients treated for breast cancer experienced severe psychological distress, infertility, premature menopause, a decrease in physical activity, and weight gain.
According to researchers, the study highlights a need for oncologists to let younger patients know from the start of their treatments what they may experience after completing therapy.
“We know that educating and providing younger breast cancer patients with information about what they might experience once their treatment ends is very helpful,” said study lead author Dr Patricia Ganz, director of cancer prevention and control research at UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. “If they know what to expect, their anxiety level will be greatly reduced. Up to now, oncologists have not done a good job of preparing these women for what will come.”
For the study, which was recently published in the peer-reviewed Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Ganz and her colleagues reviewed 28 studies that focused on overall quality of life, psychosocial effects, menopause and fertility-related concerns, and behavioral outcomes related to weight gain and physical activity. Theses studies were published between January 1990 and July 2010.
According to a study published in 2010 in Cancer Research, chronic stress acts as a sort of fertilizer that feeds breast cancer progression and significantly accelerates the spread of disease. Therefore, Ganz says, reducing patient anxiety is essential.
“A cancer diagnosis can challenge younger women with issues that don’t impact older patients,” she said. “A younger breast cancer patient may have young children and may be worried about living to raise them to adulthood. A younger breast cancer patient may not have had children yet and may be faced with infertility following her treatment or may return to the dating scene following treatment. We need to find ways to reduce the stress and anxiety that dealing with these issues may create.” Weighing therapies while keeping quality of life after treatment in mind may help diminish some of the issues these younger women face, Ganz said.
Source: UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.
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