New study to help women deal with cancer
MRS C'S MIND went blank, then the room started to spin. She was in complete shock.
'It was a nightmare,' she said, recalling the time she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Mrs C was one of the patients who participated in a University of Hong Kong study investigating how breast cancer affected Chinese women. The study was conducted by Richard Fielding, director of the Centre for Psycho-Oncological Research and Teaching, Department of Community Medicine.
Professor Fielding said being diagnosed with cancer was a frightening experience because most people usually knew of someone who had died of the disease. He said as many as 60 per cent of breast cancer sufferers got depressed at some point, and a significant proportion remained depressed up to eight months after surgery.
Severe depression can have a big impact on the quality of life. One study suggests that the level of distress or depression a month after surgery is predictive of survival and recurrence in five years.
One of Professor Fielding's studies found that after surgery, 29 per cent of women suffered mild psychological morbidity and 42 per cent had moderate to severe psychological morbidity. A month later, the rates were 32 per cent and 36 per cent respectively.
More can be done to help patients avoid depression, according to Professor Fielding.
Patients are normally asked to discuss treatment options immediately after their cancer diagnosis is confirmed.
For many, making an effective decision can be a real challenge following the shock of knowing they had cancer.
The professor's research showed that breast cancer women who have difficulty making treatment decisions are more likely to be depressed following surgery.
When making treatment decisions, doctors too should pay close attention to the patient's psychological well-being, Professor Fielding said.
'We are looking at ways to better understand people's needs throughout the diagnostic stage and the treatment process. It's about understanding and it's about trying to optimise a service so that patients benefit more comprehensively, other than just giving biological care,' he said.
His studies also showed that interaction with other women who had been treated successfully for breast cancer could be especially beneficial.
'It's important for patients not to feel that they are alone,' Professor Fielding said.
'They should know others have gone through it and survived.
'They might have gone through it with the most negative expectations, but found it actually a very positive experience that helped them to review and reprioritise their lives.'
