Abstract
Background: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide with more than 1. 7 million new cases annually. Major advances have been made in the therapeutic management of this condition in many countries. However, neuropsychiatric disorders in patients with breast cancer constitute a significant concern due to their negative impact on patient's life and on the success of therapy itself.Methodology: In this study we aimed to evaluate psychological disorders in a population of 212 Moroccan women treated for breast cancer within the Mohammed VI Center for the Treatment of Cancers of Casablanca. A questionnaire was designed to this end on the basis of different validated scales, including the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Body Image Scale (BIS).Results: Data analysis has shown that 69.3% of participants had significant sleep disorders; 87% suffer from an anxiety-depressive syndrome (ADS), and 83.0% had significant body image dissatisfaction. A positive correlation was shown between ADS and both patients' national health insurance coverage and patients or husbands' education. Analysis further revealed that anxiety and depression were negatively correlated with different types of treatment. Similarly, both BIS and PSQI scores were positively associated with anxiety and depression disorders.Conclusion: The present investigation highlights the need to generalize and strengthen the psychological approach of patients treated for breast cancer in Morocco. We anticipate that such a strategy will alleviate suffering and promote therapy success in these patients and will diminish or prevent conjugal and familial impacts of the illness.
Highlights
Breast cancer is considered to be one of the most common public health issues in the world
The psychological distress is the term generally adopted in oncology and cancer care to refer to these two mental disorders, which affect more than one third of breast cancer patients [16]
In this study we have demonstrated that our population exhibited severe psychiatric comorbidities, especially anxiety and depression
Summary
Breast cancer is considered to be one of the most common public health issues in the world. According to a recent epidemiological study published by a German research team, 32% of people with cancer in general and 42% of those with breast cancer in particular, have a high level of mental disorders and emotional distress [5]. These disorders are the main criteria for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders (DSM-IV), which include, among others, anxiety, and depression. New studies suggest that depression is a common comorbidity in cancer patients, who exhibit poor quality of life, more functional disorders, higher levels of suicidal ideation, and significant death rates [6]. Neuropsychiatric disorders in patients with breast cancer constitute a significant concern due to their negative impact on patient’s life and on the success of therapy itself
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