Depression and anxiety affect one in two women with breast cancer

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

A study shows that over half of women with early breast cancer experience depression or anxiety during the first year after diagnosis.
Being given a diagnosis of breast cancer must be very stressful so it is interesting to see what kind of psychological impact such news might have. A team at Cancer Research UK's Psychosocial Group at King's College, London, has looked at this issue in more than 200 women aged under 60.

In the first year after diagnosis, depression and anxiety are twice as common among women with early breast cancer than among the general female population. After the first year, however, those in remission no longer have an increased risk of psychological problems. This may reflect a certain adjustment to the diagnosis and treatment taking place over time.

Relapse, however, was associated with increased depression and anxiety, as you might expect. Younger women and those with other, unrelated, problems were more likely to experience depression and anxiety. The findings suggest that psychological support for women with breast cancer could be very helpful, especially during the first year after diagnosis.

Source
British Medical Journal 26th March 2005 Volume 330 pages 702-705

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