Aftermath Of Cancer Research Articles

Cross-sectional nationwide mixed-methods population-based study of living conditions, and identification of sexual and fertility profiles among young women after breast cancer in France: the Candy study protocol

IntroductionAt the end of the treatment, many young breast cancer (BC) survivors face difficulties related to fertility and sexuality, mainly due to the side effects of treatment. Integrating patient needs...

Medical pluralism in the aftermath of cancer: health seeking actions and cancer patients’ shaping of trajectories to healing

Improved treatment methods for cancer are increasing the number of survivals in Norway. In turn, the group of people struggling with late effects after the treatment is growing. Late effects could be physical, psychological or existential conditions caused by treatment or the experience of illness. This qualitative study explores health-seeking actions among nine Norwegian people with cancer, and how they shape their trajectories to healing. Various health-seeking actions were identified through content analysis, and categorized as conventional, CAM, self-care, religious coping and traditional healing. Medical pluralism particularly flourished in the aftermath of cancer. We found that the phenomenon is characterized by: 1) implementation of contradicting models of reality and making pragmatic choices, 2) continuity and change of health seeking actions, 3) medical pluralism as a process, and 4) increased use of CAM and self-care to improve health and well-being in situations where the conventional care system has few available treatment options. To support people with long-term conditions, we need to know how they choose and make sense of their health-seeking activities. We argue that trajectories to healing are dynamic and shaped by people making choices. This process could be understood in greater depth by applying the concept of medical landscapes.

Posttraumatic growth among childhood cancer survivors: Associations with ethnicity, acculturation, and religious service attendance

ABSTRACTThis study assessed the association between ethnicity, religious service attendance (RSA), and acculturation with posttraumatic growth (PTG) in a diverse sample of 235 childhood cancer survivors (CCS). PTG scores were estimated for each ethnicity, and by level of RSA and acculturation. There was a significant curvilinear relationship (inverted U) between RSA and PTG, such that moderate levels of RSA were associated with the highest PTG scores. Hispanics reported the highest PTG, and both Hispanic and Anglo cultural orientation were significantly positively associated with PTG. CCS with high or low frequency of RSA as well as Hispanic CCS who lack a strong sense of cultural identity may benefit from targeted efforts to promote psychosocial adaptation in the aftermath of cancer.

Positive life changes in the aftermath of cancer: The ingredients and keys for its facilitation and its effects on well-being

espanolEn las ultimas decadas se ha impulsado desde la Psicologia Positiva (PsiPos) el estudio cientifico de los cambios vitales positivos tras un cancer, integrandolos con los cambios negativos, desde un mismo marco de experiencia humana. Se han disenado intervenciones novedosas que han priorizado vias de reduccion del malestar emocional y la psicopatologia en cancer desde la facilitacion de un funcionamiento psicologico positivo con resultados prometedores. Se realiza una revision e integracion teorica de los constructos de la PsiPos encontrados en bases de datos relevantes (Psycinfo, Pubmed, Web of Science, Scopus, entre otros) que se han relacionado con los cambios vitales positivos tras un cancer y su potencial terapeutico. Por ultimo, se describe un resumen del programa de psico-terapia positiva en cancer apuntando las estrategias terapeuticas facilitadoras de estos cambios positivos. Los cambios vitales positi-vos tras pasar por un cancer son mas la norma que la excepcion. Estos cambios juegan un importante papel en la adaptacion psicosocial, adherencia a los tratamientos oncologicos, bienestar y calidad de vida. Programas de tratamiento psicologico basados en la PsiPos tienen resultados prometedores en cancer que complementan y pueden mejorar los resultados de programas tradiciona-les de control o manejo de estres. EnglishDuring the last decades, Positive Psychology (PsyPos) has been promoting the scientific study of positive life changes in the aftermath of cancer. These have been integrated within the negative life changes, from the same human experience framework. Innovative interventions have been designed prioritizing the pathways to the emotional distress and psychopathology reduction in cancer, through the facilitation of positive psychological functioning. These interventions have achieved promising results. A theoretical and integrative review of the PsyPos-related constructs is performed in relevant databases (PsycINFO, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, etc.). These constructs have been linked to the positive life changes after cancer and its therapeutic power. Finally, a summary of a positive psychotherapy program for cancer survivors is described, pointing therapeutic strategies that facilitate positive life changes in the aftermath of cancer. Positive life changes after undergoing cancer are more the norm than the exception. These changes play an important role in psychosocial adjustment, adherence to cancer treatments, wellness and quality of life. Psychological treatment programs based on PsyPos achieve promising results in cancer. These programs are capable of complementing and improving the outcomes reached by traditional stress-management programs.

The psychosocial experiences of women with breast cancer across the lifespan: a systematic review.

To summarize the psychosocial experience of women with breast cancer from a lifespan perspective by examining the findings of qualitative studies. A meta-aggregate review of 24 qualitative studies was undertaken. To be included, studies must include women with a breast cancer diagnosis and focus on younger or older women (as defined by the study), or compare a psychosocial issue across the lifespan. Eight databases were searched systematically. Study participants ranged in age from 26 to 91years. Sixteen studies focused on younger women, six focused on older women, and two included women across the lifespan. A total of 155 findings were extracted from the studies and were aggregated into 11 categories. These were synthesized into four synthesized findings: (a) dealing with cancer, (b) the importance of caring, (c) the aftermath of cancer, and (d) fertility and infertility. Further research is required to explore these findings, and to examine the needs of older women in particular. Delineating the similarities and differences in the needs of women across the lifespan will inform the development of psychosocial interventions for all women with breast cancer.

Perceived positive and negative consequences after surviving cancer and their relation to quality of life.

Surviving childhood cancer has multiple implications on both physical and psychological domains of the individual. However, its study and possible effects on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) outcomes of adolescent survivors has been understudied. The objective of this study was twofold; to assess positive and negative cancer-related consequences (psychosocial and physical) in a sample of adolescent cancer survivors and to explore their relationship with HRQoL outcomes. Forty-one participants answered two questions about positive and negative consequences in the aftermath of cancer and filled in the KIDSCREEN-52 self-reported version. Data were analysed using mixed methods approach. Overall, 87.8% of the studied sample identified positive consequences and 63.4% negative consequences in survivorship. Four positive categories and five negative categories with regard to cancer-related consequences were found. Changed perspectives in life narratives seem to be the positive consequence more related to HRQoL (physical well-being, mood & emotions, autonomy, social support & peers), followed by useful life experience (physical well-being, autonomy, social support & peers). Psychological impact was the most referred negative consequence with a significant detrimental effect on social support and peers HRQoL dimension. Even if the majority of survivors reported benefit finding in the aftermath of cancer, concomitant positive and negative consequences have been found. However, findings only reveal a significant relationship between positive narratives and HRQoL, and negative consequences do not seem to have a significant influence on overall HRQoL in survivorship.

In The Aftermath of Cancer: The Psychological Status of Adolescent Cancer Survivors and its Correlates

Objective: To assess the psychological status of adolescent cancer survivors and examined its associations with selected personal (coping, cancer-related distress) and familial factors (parents’ general stress, cancer-related distress). Method: Using a cross-sectional design, forty-one survivors (12-19 years) answered standardized measures to assess psychological well-being, mood and emotions and self-perception (KIDSCREEN-52), coping (ACS) and cancer-related distress (two numeric scales). Similarly, forty-one parents were assessed for general stress (PSS-14) and cancer-related distress (two numeric scales). Results: Mean scores for all KIDSCREEN psychological dimensions assessed were within normative values (50 ± 10). Regression analyses revealed two models with a range of explained variance between 17.3-31.1% for psychological well-being (F(2,37) = 5.070; p = 0.011) and mood and emotions (F(3,36) = 6.877; p = 0.001) respectively. Conclusion: This study provides tentative evidence that survivors’ psychological status is related to diverse personal and familial factors, especially those concerning adolescent mobilization of coping resources during hospitalization, and parental general stress in survivorship. Although psychological outcomes in survivorship appeared satisfactory compared to normative values; this study revealed that to facilitate positive psychological adaptation in the aftermath of cancer, psychosocial interventions aimed to enhance personal and family strengths to cope with the illness are needed throughout the process.

Aspects of quality of life, anxiety, and depression among persons diagnosed with cancer during adolescence: A long-term follow-up study

Aim Quality of life, anxiety, and depression among persons diagnosed with cancer during adolescence up to 4 years after diagnosis, and in comparison with a reference group were investigated. Methods The cancer group ( N = 61) completed the SF-36 mental health and vitality and the HADS anxiety and depression subscales shortly after and at 6, 12, 18, 24, 36 and 48 months after diagnosis. A reference group ( N = 300) randomly drawn by Statistics Sweden from their civil register of the Swedish population completed the same instruments at one assessment. Data were collected by telephone interviews. Results Up to 6 months after diagnosis the cancer group reports lower levels of mental health and vitality and a higher level of depression than the reference group. At 18 months after diagnosis a reverse situation occurs and at 48 months after diagnosis the cancer group reports a higher level of vitality and lower levels of anxiety and depression than the reference group. Conclusion The findings suggest that a positive psychological change may develop in the aftermath of cancer during adolescence. However, efforts should be made to enable clinicians and nursing staff to identify and to provide psychological support to individuals who experience low quality of life and high emotional distress. If these problems remain undetected and appropriate support is not provided the distress may become a barrier to physical recovery, resulting in a vicious cycle of physical and mental disability.

Cytokine gene polymorphisms and fatigue in breast cancer survivors: Early findings

Converging evidence from basic and clinical studies suggests a role for proinflammatory cytokines in cancer-related fatigue, although the etiology of elevated inflammatory processes is unclear. We examined single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the promoters of cytokine genes as genetic risk factors for cytokine-related fatigue in 33 fatigued and 14 non-fatigued breast cancer survivors, focusing on promoter sequence polymorphisms in IL1B and IL6 associated with differential expression of proinflammatory cytokines. Predictors of fatigue included presence of at least one cytosine at IL1B −511 (95%CI = 0.91–16.6, p = .007) and homozyosity for either variant of the IL6 −174 genotype (G/G or C/C; 95%CI = 1.12–17.9, p = .027). Associations between fatigue status and IL1B genotype remained significant after covariate adjustment for demographic, biobehavioral and treatment-related factors. These findings provide preliminary evidence that polymorphisms in IL1B may serve as a potential risk factor for persistent fatigue in the aftermath of cancer.

Identity and Prostate Cancer: Comments on a Messy Life

SUMMARY The author's image of his body as small and weak was formed as a child but has remained with him although he is no longer physically weak. At times of emotional stress, he is susceptible to poor body image. A radical prostatectomy done after being diagnosed with prostate cancer eliminated the reliability of the author's erections and gravely affected his identity. In his recovery from surgery, the author realized that having reliable erections, not as a condition to sexual pleasure but simply having them, was a part of his identity. In the aftermath of cancer and major surgery, he doubts that his body will appear appealing to other gay men. In light of the after-effects of radical prostatectomy, and in consideration of intimations of mortality, he worries that he will not be loved.