[en] 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 nonmetastatic
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 (P1 cm 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 scoresP4 cm) 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.
Disciplines :
Oncology
Author, co-author :
Lewis, Florence
Merckaert, Isabelle
Liénard, Aurore
Libert, Yves
Etienne, Anne-Marie ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Départ. de Psychologies et Cliniques des Systèmes humains > Psychologie de la santé
Reynaert, Christine; université catolique de Louvain
Slachmuylder, Jean-Louis; C.P.O. Bruxelles
Scalliet, Pierre; Université Catholique de Louvain - UCL
Van Houtte, Paul; Université Libre de Bruxelles - ULB
COUCKE, Philippe ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > Radiothérapie
Salamon, Emile; Clinique St Elisabeth de Namur
Razavi, Darius; Université Libre de Bruxelles - ULB
Language :
English
Title :
Anxiety and its time courses during radiotherapy for non-metastatic breast cancer: A longitudinal study
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