Emotional and Functional Impact of Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy on Patients with Primary Breast Cancer

The present study investigated the psychosocial sequelae of radiotherapy and chemotherapy for primary breast cancer. Negative and positive affect and functional impairment were measured at five intervals between pretreatment and three months after treatment in 78 patients with primary breast cancer who were undergoing radio- or chemotherapy. The radiotherapy patients' negative affect was greatest when therapy began and declined during therapy, whereas chemotherapy patients' negative affect increased during therapy and lasted up to one month therapy ended. The patients' functional, recreational, and home management activities were disrupted, predominantly during the first half of the treatment regimen and their sleep and rest behaviors became more disrupted as they progressed through the course of treatment. The chemotherapy patients' social interactions and alertness declined significantly during therapy. The results suggest that psycho-educational interventions would be advantageous before radiotherapy begins and at discrete intervals during and after chemotherapy.