The course of distress in women at increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer due to an (identified) genetic susceptibility who opt for prophylactic mastectomy and/or salpingo-oophorectomy

• Published in: European journal of cancer (1990) Vol. 43; no. 1; pp. 95 - 103
• Main Authors: Bresser, P.J.C, Seynaeve, C, Van Gool, A.R, Niermeijer, M.F, Duivenvoorden, H.J, van Dooren, S, van Geel, A.N, Menke-Pluijmers, M.B, Klijn, J.G.M, Tibben, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Anxiety; Anxiety - etiology; Avoidance; Avoidance Learning; Biological and medical sciences; BRCA1/2; Breast Neoplasms - genetics; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Breast Neoplasms - surgery; Depression; Depressive Disorder - etiology; Fallopian Tubes - surgery; Female; Genetic Predisposition to Disease - psychology; HBOC; Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine; Humans; Intrusion; Mastectomy - psychology; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Ovarian Neoplasms - genetics; Ovarian Neoplasms - psychology; Ovarian Neoplasms - surgery; Ovariectomy - psychology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Prophylactic mastectomy; Prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy; Psychological distress; Stress, Psychological - etiology; Tumors; Prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy; BRCA1/2; Intrusion; Psychological distress; Depression; Anxiety; Prophylactic mastectomy; Avoidance; HBOC; Affect affectivity; Ovary cancer; Prophylactic salpingo- oophorectomy; Epidemiology; Prevention; Cancerology; Surgery; Mastectomy; Adult; Female; Genetics; Woman; BRCA1 gene; Mood disorder; Human; Ovariectomy; Pharmacology; Breast cancer; Malignant tumor; Female genital diseases; Mammary gland diseases; Ovarian diseases; Treatment; BRCA2 gene; Risk factor
• ISSN: 0959-8049; 1879-0852
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2006.09.009

Abstract The levels and course of psychological distress before and after prophylactic mastectomy (PM) and/or prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy (PSO) were studied in a group of 78 women. General distress was measured through the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), cancer-related distress using the impact of events scale (IES). Measurement moments were baseline (2–4 weeks prior to prophylactic surgery), and 6 and 12 months post-surgery. After PM, anxiety and cancer-related distress were significantly reduced, whereas no significant changes in distress scores were observed after PSO. At one year after prophylactic surgery, a substantial amount of women remained at clinically relevant increased levels of cancer-related distress and anxiety. We conclude that most women can undergo PM and/or PSO without developing major emotional distress. More research is needed to further define the characteristics of the women who continue to have clinically relevant increased scores after surgery, in order to offer them additional counselling.