Patients' supportive care needs and psychological distress in advanced breast cancer patients in Japan

Few studies have investigated the prevalence of the unmet needs among advanced or recurrent breast cancer patients in Asian countries and little is known about the relation between their unmet needs and psychological distress/quality of life.

The participants (n = 87) comprised randomly selected ambulatory female patients with advanced or recurrent breast cancer attending the Outpatient Department of Oncology, Immunology and Surgery of Nagoya City University Hospital. The patients were asked to complete self-administered questionnaires assessing the level of their physical and psychological symptoms, supportive care needs and socio-demographic and biomedical factors. The association between the patients' perceived needs and psychological distress/quality of life was then analyzed statistically.

The patients had a mean ± standard deviation of 11 ± 7.7 and a median of 10 unmet needs. The prevalence of the 17 most frequent unmet needs was over 50%, and almost all of these unmet need items belonged to the Psychological or the Health system and information domain. The total Short-form Supportive Care Needs Survey Questionnaire with cancer score was significantly associated with the indices of psychological distress and quality of life. Most of the Short-form Supportive Care Needs Survey Questionnaire with cancer domains except Sexuality domain were also significantly associated with all the indices of psychological distress.

Psychosocial needs were strongly associated with psychological distress and quality of life. Quality of life and psychological distress may be improved if interventions for unmet needs, especially psychological and information needs, are made.