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Couples Who Get Closer After Breast Cancer: Frequency and Predictors in a Prospective Investigation

From the Unité de recherche en santé des populations, Centre de recherche du Centre Hospitalier Affilé Universitaire de Québec; Université Laval; Centre des maladies du sein Deschênes-Fabia, Hôpital du Saint-Sacrement, Québec; Centre de recherche Fernand-Seguin de l'Hôpital Louis-H. Lafontaine; Université de Montréal; Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA

Address reprint requests to Elizabeth Maunsell, PhD, Unité de recherche en santé des populations, Hôpital du Saint-Sacrement, 1050 chemin Sainte-Foy, Québec, QC, Canada, G1S 4L8; e-mail: elizabeth.maunsell{at}uresp.ulaval.ca

PURPOSE: Although some couples report an improved relationship since coping with breast cancer together, little quantitative information exists about this phenomenon. We assessed extent to which both couple members report that breast cancer brought them closer and characteristics that predicted this.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective study was based on all women with newly diagnosed nonmetastatic disease first treated during recruitment in four Quebec hospitals, in addition to their spouses. Participation was 87% among eligible patients and 91% among spouses of participating patients. Both couple partners were interviewed individually about quality of life at 2 weeks and 3 and 12 months after treatment start. At 12 months, each was asked whether the disease had brought them closer, distanced them, or had no effect.

RESULTS: Overall, 42% of the 282 couples said breast cancer brought them closer, 6% had one or other partner reporting feeling distanced, and less than 1% of couples had both partners reporting feeling distanced. Characteristics assessed explained 31% of variance in the proportion of couples getting closer (P < .0001). After taking into account partners' prediagnosis characteristics and the woman's treatment, the spouse reporting the patient as confidant (P = .003), getting advice from her in the first 2 weeks about coping with breast cancer (P = .03), accompanying her to surgery (P = .057), the patient's reporting more affection from her spouse at 3 months since diagnosis (P = .003) predicted both partners saying the disease brought them closer.

CONCLUSION: Breast cancer can be a growth experience for couples under certain conditions. This information may help reassure patients and their spouses confronting this disease.

Supported by a research grant from the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Alliance (grant No. 006426). M.D. currently holds a Chercheur-boursier award from the Fonds de la Recherche en Santé du Québec. A.R. is Chairholder of the Scotiabank Chair in Diagnosis and Treatment of Breast Cancer. E.M. is a Canadian Institutes for Health Research Investigator.

Authors' disclosures of potential conflicts of interest are found at the end of this article.

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