Breast cancer treatment-related patterns in side effects, psychological distress, and perceived health status.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To describe variations in side effects of treatment of breast cancer and concurrent variations in psychological distress and perceived health status.

DESIGN

Data were collected at six collection points: 7-10 days, one month, two months, three months, six months, and one year postsurgery. Standardized inventories, including subscales from the Psychosocial Adjustment to illness Scale, the Multilevel Assessment Inventory, and the investigator-developed Treatment Recovery Inventory, were completed by subjects in their homes at the six data-collection points.

SETTING

Self-report measures completed in subjects' homes. Private practices of breast surgeons at medical centers in the New York City metropolitan area

SAMPLE

Convenience sample of 93 women from a main longitudinal study (x = 51.4 years of age).

MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES

Psychological distress, perceived health status, and side effects of treatment for breast cancer.

FINDINGS

Fatigue and emotional distress were persistent issues. Psychological distress and perceived health status improved with no significant differences between breast-conserving and mastectomy groups. Significant differences existed between patients receiving chemotherapy versus no therapy between three and six months. Significant changes also existed in perceived health status and psychological distress in both the positive and negative node groups with no differences between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Adjustment, a multidimensional and complex process, occurs over time.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

Patterns in side effects should enable clinicians to anticipate needs for planning methods of control over time. Nurses must assess side effects from a multidimensional perspective at all phases.