Women with breast cancer are naturally exposed to strain related to diagnosis and treatment, and this influences their experienced quality of life (QoL). The present paper reports the effect, with regard to QoL aspects, of an art therapy intervention among 41 women undergoing radiotherapy treatment for breast cancer. The women were randomized to an intervention group with individual art therapy sessions for 1 h/week (n = 20), or to a control group (n = 21). The WHOQOL-BREF and EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire-BR23, were used for QoL assessment, and administrated on three measurement occasions, before the start of radiotherapy and 2 and 6 months later. The results indicate an overall improvement in QoL aspects among women in the intervention group. A significant increase in total health, total QoL, physical health and psychological health was observed in the art therapy group. A significant positive difference within the art therapy group was also seen, concerning future perspectives, body image and systemic therapy side effects. The present study provides strong support for the use of art therapy to improve QoL for women undergoing radiotherapy treatment for breast cancer.
This study shows that individual art therapy provided by a trained art therapist in a clinical setting can give beneficial support to women with primary breast cancer undergoing radiotherapy, as it can improve their coping resources.
(2007) Comparison of three instrumental methods for the objective evaluation of radiotherapy induced erythema in breast cancer patients and a study of the effect of skin lotions, Acta Oncologica, 46:7,[893][894][895][896][897][898][899]
r Being diagnosed with breast cancer is a traumatic experience that can elevate levels of distress and cause depletion of coping resources in many of the disease's victims. This non-randomised case-control study among breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy indicates that participation in a support group that focuses on communication and mutual sharing between its member's has positive effects and increases levels of coping resources assessed with the Coping Resources Inventory (CRI). Results of the CRI showed a significant difference between the study group and control group in the social domain at the second occasion of measurement (P= 0.007) and in the emotional domain at the third occasion (P= 0.028). Within the study group, over time, increased levels of coping resources reached significant levels concerning the emotional domain at the second occasion (P= 0.025). Conversely, coping resources were decreased in the same domain within the control group over time, at the third occasion (P= 0.053). Additionally, anxiety and depression were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, showing no difference between the groups. This study shows that participation in a support group during post-operative radiotherapy can be socially and emotionally strengthening because of the opportunity for the patients to mutually share experiences.
The findings suggest that the women with breast cancer found it valuable to be able to share experiences with other women in a similar situation in the context of a support group. Being part of such a group provided a space and an opportunity for reflection.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.