Psychotraumatization and Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer

According to DSM-IV cancer is a stress event with influence on development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but in many crysis, sometimes it is hard to define concrete stressor. PTSD ussually appears in the first three moths after trauma, but can be delayed for months or years. It is hard to diferentiate psychiatric states and specific treatment methods have different impact on PTSD symptoms. Aim was to evaluate impact of different psychiatric treatment methods on development and treatment of PTSD in patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer.

Sample consisted of 120 women with breast cancer during radiotherapy on Department for Oncology on University Hospital Osijek. Patients were divided in four groups and each group was treated with different psychiatric treatment method (psychopharmacology and/or psychotherapy, control group with no treatment). We used detailed clinical examination with psychiatric interview (DSM-IV criteria), specially structured non-standardized questionnaire for ethyological factors and LASC for PTSD. Data was analyzed by adequate statistical methods.

Although most of participants didn't have complite PTSD, some symptoms were present, and in some women were intensive, so they should be the main group for psychiatric tretment. We found falling values of PTSD symptoms in group treated with combination of psychotherapy and psychopharmacology and raising values in a control group. They are at risk of developing whole clinical picture of PTSD during time.

Our results prove the need for constant evaluation of PTSD development during oncology treatment and positive effects of combined psychiatric treatment on reduction of PTSD symptoms.