Positive Health Online

Abstract

MEHTA and colleagues, University of Florida College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida, Gainesville Florida 32610 USA evaluated patients with breast cancer undergoing bone marrow transplantation (BMT) to determine if acquiescence to further adjunctive experimental therapy related to psychological distress.

Background

The authors write that use of alternative therapy for breast cancer outside of the hospital setting has been identified as a marker of psychological distress. They ponder whether acquiescence to experimental therapies within the medical setting might also be a sign of psychological distress.

Methodology

The authors studied psychological test results of 42 breast cancer patients undergoing BMT at the University of Florida between January and December 1997. These tests included the Medical Outcomes Short Form Health Survey, the Beck Depression Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire.

Results

Women who accepted adjunctive experimental therapy had significantly higher trait anxiety and poorer role functioning compared to women who did not.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that psychological distress may be a factor in medical decision-making, even within the medical setting. Prospective research in this area is warranted.

References

Mehta P et al. Acquiescence to adjunctive experimental therapies may relate to psychological distress: pilot data from a bone marrow transplant center. Bone Marrow Transplantation 25(6): 673-6. Mar 2000.

Comment

I find these results extremely interesting. Worded another way, these data may suggest that women are being psychologically pressured into accepting aggressive cancer treatment regimes.