Child maltreatment and breast cancer survivors: Social support makes a difference for quality of life, fatigue and cancer stress
Section snippets
Participants
The study data were drawn from the baseline sample of 132 women who participated in a clinical trial addressing the potential benefits of yoga for breast cancer survivors. Participants were recruited through breast cancer clinics and media announcements. Eligible women had completed treatment for stage 0-IIIA breast cancer within the past 2 years (except for tamoxifen/aromatase inhibitors) and were at least 2 months post surgery, radiation or chemotherapy (whichever occurred last). Screening
Results
Table 1 reports descriptive information for all participants. Almost half (48%) of our sample had at least one form of maltreatment, consistent with the broader literature on child abuse and neglect.8 Maltreated and non-maltreated participants did not differ by treatment type, cancer stage, time since diagnosis, time since last treatment or age. Less than 5% of our sample had any Charlson-rated comorbidities other than their breast cancer diagnosis, and thus we did not control for them in our
Discussion
With more women surviving breast cancer, health professionals have focused on why some breast cancer survivors are more vulnerable to poorer post-treatment QOL than others.34 The current study examined relationships between child maltreatment and QOL among breast cancer survivors. Those who were abused or neglected as children experienced more cancer-specific psychological distress, more fatigue, and poorer physical, emotional, functional and breast cancer specific well-being after treatment.
Conflict of interest statement
None declared.
Acknowledgements
Work on this paper was supported in part by NIH grants R01CA126857, R01CA131029, NCRR Grant UL1RR025755, which funds the Clinical Research Center, the Ohio State Comprehensive Cancer Center Core Grant CA16058, and an American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellowship Grant PF-11-007-01-CPPB awarded to the first author. We appreciate the helpful assistance of Heather Preston, Jeanette Bennett, Cathie Atkinson, Lindsay Madaras, and Mary Lower.
References (40)
- et al.
Psychological distress in female cancer patients with Holocaust experience
Gen Hosp Psychiat
(1994) - et al.
The role of child abuse and age in vulnerability to emotional problems after surgery for breast cancer
Eur J Cancer
(2006) - et al.
Social support and cancer progression: a systematic review
J Psychosom Res
(2009) - et al.
The relationship of two dimensions of social support to the psychological well-being and social functioning of women with advanced breast cancer
Soc Sci Med
(1984) - et al.
Effects of breast cancer and mastectomy on emotional support and adjustment
Soc Sci Med
(1989) - et al.
Childhood physical abuse, early social support, and risk for maltreatment: current social support as a mediator of risk for child physical abuse
Child Abuse Negl
(2001) - et al.
Validation of a combined comorbidity index
J Clin Epidemiol
(1994) - et al.
The reliability of abuse history reports: a comparison of two inquiry formats
Compr Psychiat
(1991) - et al.
Experience of trauma, distress, and posttraumatic stress disorder among breast cancer patients
Psychosom Med
(2004) - Beyer K. Depression in patients with cancer receiving adjuvant chemotherapy,...
Quality of life in long-term, disease-free survivors of breast cancer: a follow-up study
J Natl Cancer Inst
Meta-analysis of risk factors for posttraumatic stress disorder in trauma-exposed adults
J Consult Clin Psychol
Traumatic distress symptoms in early breast cancer. II: outcome six weeks post surgery
Psychooncology
Trauma history as a predictor of psychologic symptoms in women with breast cancer
J Clin Oncol
Costs of health care use by women HMO members with a history of childhood abuse and neglect
Arch Gen Psychiat
Ecological influences on the sequelae of child maltreatment: a review of the literature
Child Maltreat
Childhood abuse experiences and combat-related PTSD
J Trauma Stress
Psychosocial factors in fibromyalgia compared with rheumatoid arthritis: II. Sexual, physical, and emotional abuse and neglect
Psychosom Med
Traumatic stress symptoms, breast cancer: the role of childhood abuse
Child Abuse Negl
Effects of social support visibility on adjustment to stress: experimental evidence
J Pers Soc Psychol
Cited by (51)
Inflammation-related proteins as biomarkers of treatment-related behavioral symptoms: A longitudinal study of breast cancer patients and age-matched controls
2023, Brain, Behavior, and Immunity - HealthChildhood maltreatment, emotion regulation strategies and depressive symptoms during spousal bereavement
2022, Child Abuse and NeglectCancer-related Fatigue in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Review
2021, Clinical Breast CancerAbuse, cancer and sexual dysfunction in women: A potentially vicious cycle
2018, Gynecologic OncologyCitation Excerpt :The inability to create a trusting therapeutic relationship can lead to conflicts with the cancer care team, particularly at times of critical decision-making about treatment and when transitioning to palliative or end of life care [54]. Patients with a history of abuse reported more cancer-related symptoms, psychological distress, more fatigue, poorer physical and emotional function, and decreased well-being after treatment [55]. Overall, these individuals reported less social support and poorer quality of life than others [55].
The childhood maltreatment influences on breast cancer patients: A second wave hit model hypothesis for distinct biological and behavioral response
2017, Medical HypothesesCitation Excerpt :The relationship between childhood maltreatment and breast cancer appears to be varied, and can be observed through psychosocial and physiological changes. Childhood maltreatment has been shown to be a mediator of interpersonal relationships [21,82], quality of life [23,83], and depression and anxiety symptoms [22,84,85] during breast cancer treatment. Additionally, it is observed that there is an increase in the expression of inflammatory biomarkers (especially IL-6) during the treatment process of those women who have been exposed to some adverse experience during childhood [24,86], which demonstrates possible interaction among these variables.