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Stress among cancer survivors

Breast cancer survivors feel more fatigue and negative emotions in a typical day than their cancer-free peers.

Stress among cancer survivors

Breast cancer survivors feel more fatigue and negative emotions in a typical day than their cancer-free peers but round-the-clock monitoring demonstrates that their vital signs and level of activity are no different. Researchers from Switzerland compared 33 women who had undergone treatment for breast cancer within the past 2 years and were apparently disease free and 33 women with no history of serious illness, to investigate the effects of treatment on the physiological and everyday activities. Heart rate, breathing and physical activity were monitored in all the participants for 24 hours, including the subjects own report on their mood, fatigue and levels of stress, depression and anxiety. The breast cancer patients were found to be less happy and less energetic than the control group, however, their activity levels, breathing rates and heart rates were found similar to those of the women in the comparison group. The women's moment-to-moment sense of their mood and energy improved with the length of time it had been since their treatment, as did the physical activity. It can be concluded that post-treatment patients are as active as others in daily life but are still more likely to suffer from psychological distress and symptoms. Complementary medical and psychological strategies for supporting post-treatment cancer patients are important and should be considered for these patients.
Psychosomatic Medicine
September 2008
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