The relationship between perceived control and psychological distress in cancer patients has been widely studied, but longitudinal designs are scarce. The aim of this study was to examine whether perceived control could predict changes in the evolution of psychological distress in breast cancer patients at stages I or II. One hundred and one women were assessed on five occasions: one week after surgery, and again 1, 3, 6 and 12 months later, using the Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC) Scale, a Self-Efficacy Scale, the Personal Competence Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Profile of Mood Sates (POMS), and the EORTC questionnaire of quality of life. Latent growth curve (LGC) model analysis was used to test the relationship between perceived control and psychological distress in a longitudinal, 1-year study. The results showed that perceived control increases linearly and that distress also decreases linearly. Moreover, the evolution of distress can be predicted from the initial value and the rate of change of perceived control. This close relationship between perceived control and psychological distress was found to be independent of the evolution of the physical state. These findings suggest that perceived control could be used as an early predictor of psychological adjustment to illness.

Abstract. This research assesses Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in a Spanish sample of adolescent cancer survivors, and analyzes the relationship between HRQoL, coping styles and physical exercise. Forty-two survivors (12-19 years), who were ≥ 1 year of remission, completed standardized measures of HRQoL (CHIP-AE), coping strategies (ACS) and physical exercise (AECEF). Mean scores in all HRQoL domains were within normative values. Multiple regression analysis revealed that physical exercise and productive coping were related to higher HRQoL, whereas nonproductive coping was related to lower HRQoL. This sample of survivors reported good levels of HRQoL, which are mediated by coping styles and physical exercise.

These data fit well with previous research and suggest that psychological interventions which emphasize a sense of personal control would be effective in enhancing well-being in breast cancer patients at the early stages.

Re aim of Ihis work was to assess wherher cancel patients presenting high anxiety leveis or poor adaptation Lo cancer experience hi~her leveis of postchemotherapy nausea, regardless of the ernetogenicity of the chemotherapy schedule. Sixty-three patients were nterviewed before receiving their chemoíherapy schedule and sorne psychological variables were assessed. Nausea intensity was also assessed after treatment. The results showed that patients with relatively higher leveis of nausea reported higher leveis of anxiery prior to chemotherapy and lower leveis of adaptation tu cancer. Thus, evidence for a modulating eflect of psychologicaL factors in postchernotherapy emesis is suggested. Kcy words: chetnolherapy nauseo, anxiely, adaptotion fo ilh~ess rí objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar si los pacientes de cáncer que muestran altos niveles de ansiedad o una escasa adaptación a la enfermedad experimentan también una elevada náusea postquimioterapia independientemente del potencial emetizante del tratamiento. Se entrevistó a 63 pacientes antes de que recibieran uno de los ciclos de quimioterapia y se evaluaron diferentes variables psicológicas. Asimismo, se registró la intensidad de náusea postratamiento. Los resultados indican que los pacientes con mayores niveles de náusea muesiran unes nivetes de ansiedad previos a la quimioterapia más elevados y unos niveles de adaptación al cáncer más bajos. Se sugiere la posibilidad de que los tactores psicológicos tengan un etecto modulador de la intensidad de la náusea postquimioterapia.Palabras clave: quimioterapia, náusea, ansiedad, adaptación a la enfermedad