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Interventions to Enhance Physical and Psychological Functioning Among Younger Women Who Are Ending Nonhormonal Adjuvant Treatment for Early-Stage Breast Cancer

From the Carnegie Mellon University; Magee Womens Hospital; University of Pittsburgh Cancer Centers, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA; Emory University, Atlanta, GA

Address reprint requests to Michael F. Scheier, Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213; e-mail: scheier{at}cmu.edu

PURPOSE: To conduct a clinical trial to determine if an educational intervention and a nutritional intervention could enhance physical and psychological functioning among younger women completing treatment for early-stage breast cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Younger women (50 years of age or younger, N = 252), within 2 months of having completed active nonhormonal adjuvant therapy, diagnosed with stage 0, I, or II breast cancer with 10 or fewer positive lymph nodes were randomly assigned to a three-arm clinical trial. Women in the control arm of the trial received standard medical care. Women in the two active arms received either an educational intervention, designed to provide information about their illness and enhance adjustment, or a nutritional intervention, designed to promote a more healthy diet. Primary end points included mental functioning, physical functioning, and depressive symptoms. Women were assessed before random assignment, 4 months later (immediately postintervention), and 13 months later (9 months postintervention).

RESULTS: Participants assigned to the two active treatment arms had significantly less depressive symptomatology and better physical functioning by 13-month follow-up (differences between the two active arms were nonsignificant). These effects were primarily accounted for by changes in intrusive thoughts, concerns regarding cancer recurrence and mortality, self-concept perceptions, and self-efficacy expectations.

CONCLUSION: Tailored psychosocial interventions can be effectively designed to enhance adjustment among younger women who are completing nonhormonal adjuvant therapy.

Supported by National Institutes of Health grants CA64711, CA103730, HL65111, and HL65112.

Presented in part at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Honolulu, HI, July 28-August 1, 2004.

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

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