Anxiety at the first radiotherapy session for non-metastatic breast cancer: Key communication and communication-related predictors. Issue 1 (January 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lewis, Florence; Merckaert, Isabelle; Liénard, Aurore; Libert, Yves; Etienne, Anne-Marie; Reynaert, Christine; Slachmuylder, Jean-Louis; Scalliet, Pierre; Van Houtte, Paul; Coucke, Philippe; Salamon, Emile; Razavi, Darius
• Is Part Of: Radiotherapy and oncology. Volume 114:Issue 1(2015:Jan.)
• Page Start: 35
• Page End: 41
• Publication Date: 2015-01
• Subjects: Oncology -- Periodicals; Radiotherapy -- Periodicals; Tumors -- Periodicals; Medical Oncology -- Periodicals; Neoplasms -- radiotherapy -- Periodicals; Radiotherapy -- Periodicals; Radiothérapie -- Périodiques; Cancérologie -- Périodiques; Tumeurs -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 616.9940642
• DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2014.07.017
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0167-8140

Abstract

<abstract xml:lang="en" abstract-type="author" id="ab005"> <title id="st075">Abstract</title> <sec> <title id="st080">Background and purpose</title> <p id="sp0005">Patients may experience clinically relevant anxiety at their first radiotherapy (RT) sessions. To date, studies have not investigated during/around the RT simulation the key communication and communication-related predictors of this clinically relevant anxiety.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="st085">Material and methods</title> <p id="sp0010">Breast cancer patients (<italic>n</italic> = 227) completed visual analog scale (VAS) assessments of anxiety before and after their first RT sessions. Clinically relevant anxiety was defined as having pre- and post-first RT session VAS scores ⩾4 cm. Communication during RT simulation was assessed with content analysis software (LaComm), and communication-related variables around the RT simulation were assessed with questionnaires.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="st090">Results</title> <p id="sp0015">Clinically relevant anxiety at the first RT session was predicted by lower self-efficacy to communicate with the RT team (OR = 0.65; <italic>p</italic> = 0.020), the perception of lower support received from the RT team (OR = 0.70; <italic>p</italic> = 0.020), lower knowledge of RT-associated side effects (OR = 0.95; <italic>p</italic> = 0.057), and higher use of emotion-focused coping (OR = 1.09; <italic>p</italic> = 0.013).</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="st095">Conclusions</title> <p id="sp0020">This study provides RT team members with information about potential communication strategies, which may be used to reduce patient anxiety at the first RT session.</p> </sec> </abstract>