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Supportive Care in Cancer
Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer 11/2008

01-11-2008 | Original Article

Noncancer life stresses in newly diagnosed cancer

Authors: Ulla-Sisko Lehto, Markku Ojanen, Anna Väkevä, Arpo Aromaa, Pirkko Kellokumpu-Lehtinen

Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer | Issue 11/2008

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Abstract

Goals of work

Noncancer life stresses affect psychosocial stress processes and have an impact on quality of life (QOL) of the patients. However, investigating life stresses in cancer is a recent development. We evaluated the life stresses of newly diagnosed melanoma, breast cancer, and prostate cancer patients in detail and investigated their impact on QOL outcomes after localized cancer diagnosis.

Materials and methods

Life change events from the previous year (negative events, positive events, total impact of events, impacts of the negative events, and impacts of loss events) and chronic ongoing life strains were measured with the Life Experience Survey and the Chronic Strains Survey in newly diagnosed patients 3 months after the diagnosis. Also, perceived symptoms and QOL were measured, and in melanoma and breast cancer, these were repeated up to 2 years later.

Results

Noncancer life stress was common in newly diagnosed cancer patients: Both acute and chronic life stresses were experienced by four-fifths. Loss events (fateful negative events or social loss events) were reported by one-third. Many patients had a preceding chronic illness. Along with the cancer and treatment stresses, the noncancer life stresses predicted poorer QOL, particularly psychological and depressive symptoms. Different life stresses predicted slightly different domains of QOL, and depressive symptoms tended to be predicted by several kinds of life stresses. Baseline life stresses had impact also on later QOL in breast cancer.

Conclusions

Noncancer life stresses are common among newly diagnosed cancer patients and have impact on QOL, and thus they should be taken into account in cancer care. Screening for noncancer life stresses may offer means to enhance QOL outcomes in cancer.
Footnotes
1
From June 1995 to May 1998.
 
2
From January to September 1996.
 
3
From July 2002 to May 2003.
 
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Metadata
Title
Noncancer life stresses in newly diagnosed cancer
Authors
Ulla-Sisko Lehto
Markku Ojanen
Anna Väkevä
Arpo Aromaa
Pirkko Kellokumpu-Lehtinen
Publication date
01-11-2008
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Supportive Care in Cancer / Issue 11/2008
Print ISSN: 0941-4355
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7339
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-008-0410-8

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