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William J. Gradishar, MD, FACP, FASCO
William J. Gradishar, MD, FACP, FASCO
Posted: Monday, July 29, 2024
Patients with breast cancer exhibit varying trajectories of social anxiety after surgery, highlighting the importance of targeted interventions. In a study conducted by Daoxia Guo, MD, of the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, China, and colleagues, they identified five distinct categories of social anxiety progression, underscoring the need for personalized management strategies. Their findings, published in BMC Psychiatry, emphasize the critical role of recognizing these factors to develop effective support systems and intervention programs aimed at mitigating social anxiety in this vulnerable population.
The study was conducted between June 2022 and January 2023, involving 213 patients with breast cancer from three hospitals in China. Data were collected at four different time points to capture the dynamic nature of social anxiety after surgery. The investigators used a growth-mixture model to identify five latent categories of social anxiety trajectories among patients with postoperative breast cancer. The categories included maintaining mild social anxiety, changing from mild to moderate social anxiety, maintaining moderate social anxiety, changing from moderate to severe social anxiety, and maintaining severe social anxiety. Cluster analysis indicated three trajectory types: positive, negative, and low. Logistic regression analysis revealed that factors significantly influencing higher levels of social anxiety (P < .05) included younger age, spouses concerned about postoperative appearance, chemotherapy with paclitaxel-based drugs, opting for modified radical or radical mastectomy, and negative rumination.
The study underscores the importance of addressing social anxiety in patients with breast cancer after surgery through tailored interventions. By identifying high-risk populations and understanding the influencing factors, health-care providers can enhance support mechanisms, ultimately improving the quality of life for breast cancer survivors.
Disclosure: The study authors reported no conflicts of interest.
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