Managing Anxiety While Undergoing Diagnostic Evaluation for Breast Cancer

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Managing Anxiety While Undergoing Diagnosic Evaluation for Breast Cancer

Literature Review

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. In 2008, more than one million women underwent a diagnostic evaluation for suspected breast cancer. Approximately 182,500 women of the more than one million that received an evaluation also received a positive diagnosis (Montgomery, 2010). Risk factors linked to Breast Cancer include: gender, age, family history, prior breast cancer, previous biopsy, race and ethnicity, breast density, and long menstrual history because of prolonged hormonal stimulation. Modifiable related risk factors also include hormone replacement therapy, alcohol, weight, and physical activity (Giurescu, Hu, Obembe, 2010). The period between the initial discovery of a breast lump until diagnosis is known to cause considerable suffering and distress among patients (Liao, Chen, Chen, Chen, 2009). Patients need to receive care during this period as “unresolved distress may lead to future mental health and adjustment difficulties” (Lally, 2010). Patients with suspected breast cancer who received informational and psychological supportive care during their diagnosis period have an improved psychological status when compared to patients who did not receive supportive care. The care received should be both culturally sensitive and individualized for each patient. In addition, patients care should be coupled with continuous evaluation of psychological and emotional status. A study was conducted to investigate the effect of supportive care on anxiety levels of women during the diagnostic period. Supportive care included evaluation of the participants health care and support nee...

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...s goal by providing education, keeping in mind that information may need to be repeated, providing emotional support and access to continuous support, as well as using measurable tools to determine effectiveness of interventions.

References

Giurescu, M., Hu, T., & Obembe, O. (2010). Role of imaging in breast cancer detection.

AAOHN Journal, 58(4), 131-134.

Lally, R. (2010). Acclimating to breast cancer: a process of maintaining self-integrity in the pretreatment period. Cancer Nursing, 33(4), 268-279. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Liao, M., Chen, P., Chen, M., & Chen, S. (2010). Effect of supportive care on the anxiety of women with suspected breast cancer. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 66 (1), 49- 59.

Montgomery, M. (2010). Uncertainty during breast diagnostic evaluation: state of the science. Oncology Nursing Forum, 37(1), 77-83.

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