The impact of a psychological intervention on quality of life in non-metastatic breast cancer

doi:10.1016/0959-8049(96)00134-7

European Journal of Cancer

Volume 32, Issue 9, August 1996, Pages 1612-1615

https://doi.org/10.1016/0959-8049(96)00134-7 Get rights and content

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine whether psychological intervention had a beneficial effect on the quality of life and behaviour of women diagnosed with breast cancer. 36 consecutive patients with non-metastatic breast cancer assigned to surgery and systemic chemotherapy were randomised to receive either psychological intervention (weekly cognitive individual psychotherapy and bimonthly family counselling) or standard follow-up. Personality (16-PF and IIQ), quality of life (FLIC), and depression (BDI) scores were the endpoints for this study, and the questionnaires were completed by the patients at diagnosis, and up to 9 months after diagnosis. Cognitive psychotherapy and family counselling improved both depression and quality of life indexes compared with the control group. Better emotional coping behaviours were also revealed by some changes in personality traits in the intervention group.

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Citation Excerpt :
After applying the eligibility criteria, 41 clinical trials were obtained; seven were included twice because they had more than two arms, yielding 48 comparisons (Fig. 1). The characteristics of the eligible studies are presented in Table 1 [22–62]. In total, there were 4869 patients with BC, from whom 2450 were allocated in the treatment arm.
Depressive symptoms are common comorbidities among breast cancer (BC) patients. Non-pharmacological therapies (NPTs) such as exercise and psychotherapy may reduce depressive symptoms; however, the evidence is inconclusive. The objective of this study is to evaluate if NPTs reduce depressive symptoms among BC patients.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of NPTs for BC patients were performed. A literature search was conducted from eight databases in English, Portuguese and Spanish from 2006 to 2017. Inclusion criteria were: RCTs that evaluated depressive symptoms as a primary or secondary outcome that did not include pharmacological interventions and did include a non-intervened control group, with at least 30 participants in non-terminal BC stage with no current psychiatric illness. A meta-analysis for each NPT was performed with DerSimonian and Laird's method for the random effects model. Sensitivity analyses were conducted. Heterogeneity and publication bias were assessed.
A total of 41 eligible RCTs were identified. Overall, NPTs significantly reduced depressive symptoms (Summary standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.516; 95%CI: -0.814, −0.218; I² = 96.2). Of the types of NPTs, psychotherapy significantly reduced depressive symptoms (Summary SMD = −0.819; 95% CI: -1.608, −0.030; I² = 91.53). A significant difference emerged for Mindfulness (Summary SMD = −0.241; 95% CI: -0.412, −0.070; I² = 28.6%) and yoga (Summary SMD = −0.305; 95% CI: -0.602, −0.007; I² = 41.0%) when the heterogeneity was reduced. No evidence of publication bias was observed.
Psychotherapy and mind-body therapies may reduce depressive symptoms in women with BC. Laughter and couples therapy warrant attention in future studies.
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Citation Excerpt :
Most of them felt free to communicate and shared their real thoughts and feelings with their therapists. In the studies by Cousson-Gélie et al,10 in 2011, and Marchioro et al,18 in 1996, family support groups were included, and a positive effect on communication was reported in the patients by enhancing the social support to the patients. Most of the patients were also active in analyzing and designing the future therapeutic schedule with their therapist, and few side effects were noted during the intervention period.
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Short communicationThe impact of a psychological intervention on quality of life in non-metastatic breast cancer

Abstract

Psychosocial adjustment in women with breast cancer

Cancer

Psychological and social adjustment to mastectomy: a 2-year follow-up study

Cancer

Psychosocial aspects of neoplastic disease: I. Functional status of breast cancer patients during different treatment regimens

Am J Psychiatry

Illness-related and treatment-related factors in psychological adjustment to breast cancer

Cancer

An inventory for measuring depression

Arch Gen Psychiat

Measuring the quality of life of cancer patients: the functional living indexcancer. Development and validation

J Clin Oncol

The Scientific Analysis of Personality

Short communication
The impact of a psychological intervention on quality of life in non-metastatic breast cancer