Expectation and perception of chemotherapy side effects differ between breast and ovarian cancer patients, age at diagnosis and the individual need for psycho-oncological support

Purpose:

We aimed to evaluate patients' perception and misgivings regarding chemotherapy side effects in cancer patients depending on type of cancer (breast (BC)/ovarian (OC)), age at diagnosis, and psycho-oncological distress.

Methods:

BC and OC patients planned for chemotherapy were recruited in this prospective study. Before start of chemotherapy patients were asked to identify out of 72 cards, displaying potential physical and non-physical CSE, the ten most burdensome and rank them finally to top five by severity. For distress assessment patients filled the Hornheider Screening Instrument (HSI; psycho-oncological need HSI-score³4).

Results:

141 patients (95 BC, 45 OC) were interviewed. “Feeling of not coping with treatment” and “Affects my family/partner” were the highest ranked CSE among all subgroups. “Loss of hair” was listed among the most five severe CSE with exception of OC patients – here hair loss was not listed among top 15 CSE. Differences among the subgroups were detected for “Difficulty in sleeping” and “Nausea” which were listed as top 5 concerns in pts with OC, age> 50y, and HSI< 4, but not in pts with BC, age< 50y, and HSI³4, respectively. Further, “affects my work, home duties” was ranked as major concern in pts with BC, age< 50y, and HSI< 4, but not among pts with OC, age> 50y, and HSI³4, respectively.

Conclusions:

Top concerns among all patients were psycho-social quality of live problems and fears of not coping with treatment.. Therefore, individual assessment of anticipated CSE and consequent psycho-social/-oncological support should be offered even before starting chemotherapy.