Perceived trajectory of psychological and physical states after breast cancer: An optimistic perception

Abstract

Background

In cancer research, studying the quality of life trajectory helps us understand the complaints but also the cognitive, physical, and emotional aspects that can evolve positively. Examining both the suffering and the improvements expressed by the patients facilitates their care and their recovery knowing that an optimistic perception of the future is important for adaptative functioning after cancer. Through retrospective, present and prospective measures, we sought to characterize the subjective trajectory perceived by women with breast cancer about their cognitive, emotional and physical states, as it relates to quality of life.

Methods

Nine hundred ninety women survivors of breast cancer (after curative treatments) described, on the appropriate scales, their perceived cognitive, emotional and physical states over three periods of time: from past care (i.e., retrospective analysis) to the future (i.e., projective analysis), including the present period, as a function of their treatment (chemotherapy vs. no chemotherapy) and surgery (lumpectomy vs. mastectomy) using ANCOVA.

Results

The 732 women who had received chemotherapy perceived the most significant consequences, regardless of the type of surgery (η²= .01). Moreover, all survivors expressed an optimistic perception of the change in their states in the anticipated future as a normative optimistic perception.

Conclusions

Results are discussed in terms of the benefits of specific and early interventions that enable patients to cope better with the disease and its treatments by taking into account their more or less optimistic perception of the future.

Keywords:

• Breast cancer
• temporal trajectory
• optimism
• quality of life
• cancer treatments

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

Canceropôle PACA.