Anxiety, depression and quality of life among breast cancer patients

Abstract

Objective: It was aimed to detect the presence of fatigue, sleep disorders, upper extremity problems, anxiety, and depression, and effects of these clinical features on quality of life in patients with breast cancer. Material and Methods: Grade 1-3 breast cancer patients who was applied modified radical mastectomy and axillary dissection, were included in the study. Fatigue, sleep disorders, upper extremity problems (lymphedema, shoulder pain, limitation of shoulder range of motion) were evaluated in patients. Stait and Trait Anxiety Inventory (SAI,TAI), Beck Depression Scale (BDS), European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life (QoL) Questionnaire (EORTC QOL-C30) were applied to all of the patients. Results: Mean age of the 59 patients was 50.34±11.12, and the time since surgery was 22.71±33.47 months. There was fatigue in 43 (72.9%), sleep disorders in 31 (52.5%), and upper extremity problems in 30 (50.8%) of the patients. While positive correlations were detected between presence of fatigue, sleep disorders and upper extremity problems and BDS (p<0.05), correlations were not detected between these parameters and SAI, TAI (p>0.05). Negative correlations were detected between presence of fatigue, sleep disorders, upper extremity problems, and QoL-Function, QoL-Global score, and positive correlations were detected between these parameters and QoL-Symptom score (p<0.05). When we research the relationhips between SAI, TAI, BDS, and QoL, there was positive correlation between TAI and QoL-Symptom score (p<0.05). Negative correlations were detected between BDS and QoL-Function and QoL-Global score, and positive correlation was detected between BDS, and QoL-Symptom score (p<0.05). Conclusion: Clinical experience of fatigue, sleep, and upper extremity disorders, and psychological traumas due to disease and treatment of patients with breast cancer, negatively effect their quality of life. Copyright © 2011 by Türk Tibbi Rehabilitasyon Kurumu Derne?i.