Evaluation of the Opinions and Anxiety Levels of Female Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Outpatient Chemotherapy Regarding Fertility

Year 2025, Volume: 78 Issue: 1, 1 - 7, 31.03.2025

Gülseren Tuncay , Ali Alkan , Filiz Çay Şenler

Abstract

Objectives: As screening and treatment for breast cancer advance, an increasing number of young patients are confronting treatment-related infertility. The aim of this study was to analyze patients’ opinions on fertility, and to assess the impact of these opinions on their depression and anxiety levels.

Materials and Methods: The study was designed as a prospective, single-center cohort survey. A total of 63 female patients with breast cancer who were receiving treatment at the Outpatient Units of Medical Oncology at Ankara University were enrolled. The questionnaire included components such as patients’ perspectives on fertility, demographic data, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).

Results: The median age was 39 (minimum-maximum: 28-45). Among the patients with metastatic and early-stage breast cancer, anxiety and depression scores were similar (p=0.09). Individuals who believed that having a child posed a risk to their disease had higher HADS scores (p=0.009). Factors identified as increasing the risk of anxiety and depression included being young (<40 years old), being married, unemployment, having a child, and the fear of disease recurrence. After diagnosis, the desire to have children diminished due to concerns about disease recurrence or progression. It was found that 51% of the patients considered the information provided on fertility to be sufficient.

Conclusion: It was observed that providing information on fertility during the treatment process was sufficient for half of the patients. A significant proportion of these patients had children prior to their diagnosis. The majority of patients did not have plans for childbirth, and did not express notable concerns regarding fertility.

Keywords

Breast cancer , fertility , HADS , anxiety , depression

Ethical Statement

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Ayaktan Kemoterapi Alan Meme Kanserli Kadın Hastaların Doğurganlığa İlişkin Görüş ve Kaygı/Depresyon Düzeylerinin Değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

Amaç: Meme kanseri tarama ve tedavisi ilerledikçe artan sayıda genç hasta, tedaviye bağlı fertilite sorunlarıyla karşı karşıya kalıyor. Bu çalışmanın amacı, hastaların doğurganlık konusundaki görüşlerini analiz etmek ve bu görüşlerin depresyon ve anksiyete düzeylerine etkisini değerlendirmektir.

Gereç ve Yöntem: Çalışma prospektif, tek merkezli bir kohort araştırması olarak tasarlandı. Anket, Ankara Üniversitesi Tıbbi Onkoloji Polikliniği’nde tedavi gören 63 meme kanseri kadın hastaya uygulandı. Ankette, hastaların demografik verileri ve doğurganlık hakkında görüşlerinin yanı sıra Hastane Anksiyete ve Depresyon Ölçeği (HADS) de yer aldı.

Bulgular: Metastatik ve erken evre meme kanserli hastalar arasında anksiyete ve depresyon skorları arasında anlamlı fark gözlenmedi (p=0,09). Çocuk sahibi olmanın hastalıkları açısından risk oluşturduğuna inanan bireylerin ortalama HADS puanı daha yüksekti (p=0,009). Anksiyete ve depresyon riskini artıran faktörler arasında genç olmak (<40 yaşında), evli olmak, işsizlik, çocuk sahibi olmak ve hastalığın tekrarlama korkusu yer aldı. Teşhis konulduktan sonra hastalığın tekrarlaması veya ilerlemesi endişesi nedeniyle çocuk sahibi olma isteğinin azaldığı izlendi. Hastaların %51’i, doğurganlık konusunda tedavi sürecinde verilen bilgilerin yeterli bulduğu belirtti.

Sonuç: Anksiyete ve depresyon riskini artırdığı belirlenen faktörler arasında genç olmak (<40 yaş), evli olmak, işsizlik, çocuk sahibi olmak ve hastalığın tekrarlama korkusu yer alıyor. Tedavi sürecinde doğurganlık konusunda bilgilendirmenin hastaların yarısı için yeterli olduğu görüldü. Aktif kemoterapi alan ve çok genç yaşta olmayan bu hastaların önemli bir kısmının tanı öncesinde çocuk sahibi olduğu, doğum planı olmadığı ve doğurganlığa ilişkin belirgin bir endişe dile getirmedikleri görüldü.

Keywords

Meme kanseri , fertilite , HADS , anksiyete , depresyon

Ethical Statement

Ethics Committee Approval: The study was conducted in accordance with the ethical standards outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki, revised in 2013, and was approved by the Ankara University Clinical Research Ethics Committee (decision no.: 12-742-17, date: 24.07.2017). Informed Consent: Informed consent was obtained from all the participants in the consultation room with a clinical psychologist at the medical oncology clinic.

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