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Clinical depression while caring for loved ones with breast cancer

Nik Jaafar NR, Selamat Din SH, Mohamed Saini S, Ahmad SN, Midin M, Sidi H, et al.

Compr Psychiatry, 2014 Jan;55 Suppl 1:S52-9.
PMID: 23706655 DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2013.03.003

The period of the cancer patients undergoing treatment is also the most stressful time for their family caregivers. This study aimed to determine the rates of major depressive disorder and dysthymia; and their associated factors in the caregivers during this time.

Study site: Oncology centre, Pusat Perubatan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Matched MeSH terms: Breast Neoplasms/nursing*
Dietary changes among breast cancer patients in Malaysia

Shaharudin SH, Sulaiman S, Shahril MR, Emran NA, Akmal SN

Cancer Nurs, 2013 Mar-Apr;36(2):131-8.
PMID: 22293157 DOI: 10.1097/NCC.0b013e31824062d1

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer patients often show an interest in making dietary changes after diagnosis of breast cancer to improve their health condition and prevent cancer recurrence.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to determine changes in dietary intake 2 years after diagnosis among breast cancer patients.
METHODS: One hundred sixteen subjects were asked to complete a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire, diet recalls, and dietary changes questionnaire to assess dietary intake before and after diagnosis. The information on sociodemographic background, cancer treatment history, and anthropometric indices was also collected.
RESULTS: Seventy-two subjects considered diet as a contributing factor to breast cancer, and 67 subjects changed their dietary habits after breast cancer diagnosis. The reasons for changes in diet were physician and dietitian advice and desire to cure cancer. The sources of information were derived from their physician, mass media, and family members. Total energy, protein, total fat, fatty acids, and vitamin E intake were significantly decreased after diagnosis. Meanwhile, the intake of β-carotene and vitamin C increased significantly after diagnosis. The changes included reduction in red meat, seafood, noodles, and poultry intake. An increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, fish, low-fat milk, and soy products was observed. The subjects tended to lower high-fat foods intake and started to eat more fruits and vegetables.
CONCLUSION: Breast cancer patients had changed to a healthier diet after breast cancer diagnosis, although the changes made were small.
IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This will be helpful to dietitians in providing a better understanding of good eating habits that will maintain patients' health after breast cancer diagnosis.

Matched MeSH terms: Breast Neoplasms/nursing*
Fulltext Informational needs of breast cancer patients on chemotherapy: differences between patients' and nurses' perceptions

Lei CP, Har YC, Abdullah KL

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2011;12(3):797-802.
PMID: 21627386

BACKGROUND: Cancer and chemotherapy are sources of anxiety and worry for cancer patients. Information provision is therefore very important to empower them to overcome and adjust to the stressful experience. Thus, nurses should be aware of the informational needs of the patients throughout the course of their care.
PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to identify the important information required by breast cancer patients during the first and fourth cycles of chemotherapy from both the patients' and nurses' perceptions.
METHODOLOGY: This is a longitudinal study used a questionnaire adapted from the Toronto Informational Needs Questionnaires-Breast Cancer (TINQ-BC). Some modifications were made to meet the specific objectives of the study. The study was conducted in the Chemotherapy Day Care at the University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), Malaysia. A total of 169 breast cancer patients who met the inclusion criteria, and 39 nurses who were involved in their care were recruited into the study.
RESULTS: The overall mean scores at first and fourth cycle of chemotherapy were 3.91 and 3.85 respectively: i.e., between 3 (or important) and 4 (or very important), which indicated a high level of informational needs. There was no significant difference in information needed by the breast cancer patients between the two cycles of chemotherapy (p=0.402). The most important information was from the subscale of disease, followed closely by treatment, physical care, investigative tests and psychosocial needs. Nurses had different views on the important information needed by breast cancer patients at both time points (p = 0.023).
CONCLUSIONS: Breast cancer patients on chemotherapy have high levels of informational needs with no significant differences in information needed at first cycle as opposed to fourth cycle. There were differences between the perceptions of the breast cancer patients and the nurses on important information needed. A paradigm shift, with an emphasis on patients as the central focus, is needed to enhance the information giving sessions conducted by nurses based on the perceptions of the patients themselves.

Matched MeSH terms: Breast Neoplasms/nursing
Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use and Symptom Burden in Women Undergoing Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer in Malaysia

Chui PL, Abdullah KL, Wong LP, Taib NA

Cancer Nurs, 2017 7 21;41(3):189-199.
PMID: 28723722 DOI: 10.1097/NCC.0000000000000527

BACKGROUND: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is commonly used for cancer- and chemotherapy-related symptoms. Nurses are likely to encounter many CAM users in their practice.
OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to assess CAM use and examine the symptom burden of CAM and non-CAM users among patients with breast cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy.
METHODS: A CAM use questionnaire and the Side-Effect Burden Scale were administered to 546 patients. Complementary and alternative medicine use was categorized as mind-body practices (MBPs), natural products (NPs), or traditional medicine (TM).
RESULTS: We identified 386 CAM users (70.7%) in this study. The CAM users reported a higher marginal mean total symptom burden score (40.39 ± 2.6) than non-CAM users (36.93 ± 3.21), although this difference was not statistically significant (P = .09). Triple-modality (MBP-NP-TM) CAM users had a significantly higher marginal mean total symptom burden score (47.44 ± 4.12) than single-modality (MBP) users (34.09 ± 4.43). The risk of having a high total symptom burden score was 12.9-fold higher among the MBP-NP-TM users than among the MBP users.
CONCLUSIONS: Complementary and alternative medicine use is common among Malaysian patients who are undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. However, CAM and non-CAM users reported similar symptom burdens, although single-modality use of MBP is likely associated with a lower symptom burden.
IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Nurses should keep abreast of current developments and trends in CAM use. Understanding CAM use and the related symptom burden will allow nurses to initiate open discussion and guide their patients in seeking additional information or referrals for a particular therapy.

Matched MeSH terms: Breast Neoplasms/nursing