Group Therapy for Primary Breast Cancer

The purpose of this study is to determine whether women with primary breast cancer who were randomly assigned to receive a brief group therapy would show a greater reduction in mood disturbance over time compared to those randomized to the control condition. We also hypothesized that women who were highly distressed at baseline would show the greatest benefit from participating in a support group, and that therapists with more training and experience would be most effective in reducing distress.

Sex

Female

Inclusion Criteria:

* : 1) diagnosis of primary, biopsy-proven breast cancer, stages I through IIIA; 2) diagnosis occurred no more than 12 months prior to recruitment; 3) completion of initial surgical treatment; and 4) no detectable disease present.

Exclusion Criteria:

* 1\) evidence of metastases beyond adjacent lymph nodes, including chest wall involvement, bone or viscera; 2) recurrence of the cancer prior to randomization; 3) diagnosis of other cancers (except for basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin or in situ cervical cancer) within the past 10 years; 4) any other major medical problems likely to limit life expectancy to less than 10 years; 5) a history of major psychiatric illness for which the patient was hospitalized or medicated, except for a diagnosis of depression or anxiety treated for a period of less than one year; and 6) attendance at a cancer support group for more than two months.

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• BACKGROUNDKoopman C, Butler LD, Classen C, Giese-Davis J, Morrow GR, Westendorf J, Banerjee T, Spiegel D. Traumatic stress symptoms among women with recently diagnosed primary breast cancer. J Trauma Stress. 2002 Aug;15(4):277-87. doi: 10.1023/A:1016295610660. PMID 12224799
• BACKGROUNDFobair P, O'Hanlan K, Koopman C, Classen C, Dimiceli S, Drooker N, Warner D, Davids H, Loulan J, Wallsten D, Goffinet D, Morrow G, Spiegel D. Comparison of lesbian and heterosexual women's response to newly diagnosed breast cancer. Psychooncology. 2001 Jan-Feb;10(1):40-51. doi: 10.1002/1099-1611(200101/02)10:13.0.co;2-s. PMID 11180576
• BACKGROUNDSpiegel D, Morrow GR, Classen C, Raubertas R, Stott PB, Mudaliar N, Pierce HI, Flynn PJ, Heard L, Riggs G. Group psychotherapy for recently diagnosed breast cancer patients: a multicenter feasibility study. Psychooncology. 1999 Nov-Dec;8(6):482-93. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1099-1611(199911/12)8:63.0.co;2-w. PMID 10607981
• BACKGROUNDClassen C, Abramson S, Angell K, Atkinson A, Desch C, Vinciguerra VP, Rosenbluth RJ, Kirshner JJ, Hart R, Morrow G, Spiegel D. Effectiveness of a training program for enhancing therapists' understanding of the supportive-expressive treatment model for breast cancer groups. J Psychother Pract Res. 1997 Summer;6(3):211-8. PMID 9185066