Messelink, Roëlle (2025) Psychological Resilience After Breast Cancer: Long-Term Outcomes Equal to Non-Cancer Controls. thesis, Medicine.
Full text available on request.Abstract
Because the breast cancer population is growing, it is important to acknowledge the challenges these women face, including psychological effects for example symptoms of anxiety and depression. In the first years following diagnosis, the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms is higher among breast cancer survivors, however evidence regarding long-term psychological outcomes remains scarce. Objective to assess the prevalence of symptoms of depression/ anxiety in long-term breast cancer survivors Methods A longitudinal cohort study was conducted among 334 women (167 breast cancer survivors/ 167 controls) to compare the prevalence of symptoms of anxiety/ depression. This was done using the HADS questionnaire and GP files were searched for diagnoses (ICPC P76) of depression/ use of antidepressants. A HADS-A/D score ≥ 8 was used for mild symptoms and a HADS-A/D score ≥ 11 for severe symptoms. Results the median age was 71 years (65-76 IQR), with a median follow-up duration of 19 years (17-23 IQR). Larger proportions of women in the breast cancer group experienced symptoms of depression (10.7%) compared with controls (6.0%) and symptoms of anxiety (16.7%) compared with controls (13.8%). None of these differences appeared to be significant. There were also no significant differences in recorded diagnoses of depression or antidepressant use. Discussion there is no higher prevalence of symptoms of depression or anxiety in breast cancer survivors median 19 years after diagnosis. Consequently, no additional psychosocial support or monitoring for these symptoms is currently indicated in this population.
| Item Type: | Thesis (UNSPECIFIED) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Brandenbarg, Daan |
| Faculty: | Medical Sciences |
| Date Deposited: | 14 Apr 2026 13:05 |
| Last Modified: | 14 Apr 2026 13:05 |
| URI: | https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3921 |
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