Better information helps reduce breast cancer worry

BMJ Group News

What do we know already?

Women diagnosed with breast cancer have a better than ever chance of surviving their cancer, thanks to improved detection and treatment. But that means more women are living with the worry of their cancer coming back.

While some worry is natural and probably unavoidable, some women find that worry takes over to the extent that they can’t relax and enjoy life. Some women become depressed. Others may check their breasts repeatedly, or at the other extreme, avoid scheduled check-ups because they’re afraid of getting bad news.

A new study of 2,290 women who’d survived breast cancer asked them about their experiences of cancer, their treatment, the health care system, and their worries about cancer returning.

What does the new study say?

The study found that women who were most worried about cancer coming back included:

• Women under the age of 50
• Women who’d had more pain and tiredness during cancer treatment
• Women who’d had radiotherapy.

By contrast, some women had a lower chance of having excess worry about cancer coming back:

• Women who felt their symptoms had been managed well
• Women who’d been easily able to understand the information they were given
• Women who thought their care had been well co-ordinated.

How reliable are the findings?

The researchers talked to a large number of women, and the study’s findings were adjusted to take account of factors that could have led to bias, so the results are likely to be fairly reliable. However, one of the main aims of the research was to find out about the experiences of different ethnic groups in the US (such as people from African American and Latina backgrounds). This means the results may be less relevant to UK women.

Where does the study come from?

The study was done by researchers at the University of Michigan in the US. It was published in the medical journal Cancer.

What does this mean for me?

If you’re facing breast cancer, it’s important to have a good relationship with the team caring for you, so that you understand what’s happening and keep your symptoms under control. This can affect not just how you feel at the time, but how you get on after your recovery.