Reduction of cancer-specific thought intrusions and anxiety symptoms with a stress management intervention among women undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE: After surgery for breast cancer, many women experience anxiety relating to the cancer that can adversely affect quality of life and emotional functioning during the year postsurgery. Symptoms such as intrusive thoughts may be ameliorated during this period with a structured, group-based cognitive behavior intervention. METHOD: A 10-week group cognitive behavior stress management intervention that included anxiety reduction (relaxation training), cognitive restructuring, and coping skills training was tested among 199 women newly treated for stage 0-III breast cancer. They were then followed for 1 year after recruitment. RESULTS: The intervention reduced reports of thought intrusion, interviewer ratings of anxiety, and emotional distress across 1 year significantly more than was seen with the control condition. The beneficial effects were maintained well past the completion of adjuvant therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Structured, group-based cognitive behavior stress management may ameliorate cancer-related anxiety during active medical treatment for breast cancer and for 1 year following treatment. Group-based cognitive behavior stress management is a clinically useful adjunct to offer to women treated for breast cancer.

Author information

Author/s: Antoni, Michael H (MH); Wimberly, Sarah R (SR); Lechner, Suzanne C (SC); Kazi, Aisha (A); Sifre, Tammy (T); Urcuyo, Kenya R (KR); Phillips, Kristin (K); Smith, Roselyn G (RG); Petronis, Vida M (VM); Guellati, Sophie (S); Wells, Kurrie A (KA); Blomberg, Bonnie (B); Carver, Charles S (CS);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, 5665 Ponce DeLeon Blvd., University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33124-0751, USA. MAntoni(-atsign-)miami.edu

Grants: CA-11309 (Agency:NCI NIH HHS) ; CA-64710 (Agency:NCI NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: The American journal of psychiatry (Am J Psychiatry), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Oct; vol 163 (issue 10) : pp 1791-7

Dates: Created 2006/10/02; Completed 2006/11/06; Revised 2008/11/21;

PMID: 17012691, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

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