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Cancer-related PTSD symptoms in a veteran sample: association with age, combat PTSD, and quality of life.

Wachen JS, Patidar SM, Mulligan EA, Naik AD, Moye J. Cancer-related PTSD symptoms in a veteran sample: association with age, combat PTSD, and quality of life. Psycho-oncology. 2014 Aug 1; 23(8):921-7.

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Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: The diagnosis and treatment of cancer is a potentially traumatic experience that may evoke posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) among survivors. This paper describes the rates of endorsement of cancer-related PTSS along with the relationship of demographic, cancer, and combat variables on PTSS and quality of life. METHODS: Veterans (N? = 166) with head and neck, esophageal, gastric, or colorectal cancers were recruited through tumor registries at two regional Veterans Administration Medical Centers. Standardized scales were used to assess self-report of PTSS, combat, and quality of life. RESULTS: Most participants (86%) reported experiencing at least some cancer-related PTSS; 10% scored above a clinical cutoff for probable PTSD. In linear regressions, younger age and current combat PTSS were associated with cancer-related PTSS, whereas disease and treatment characteristics were not; in turn, cancer-related PTSS were negatively associated with physical and social quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Individual characteristics and psychosocial factors may play a larger role than disease-related variables in determining how an individual responds to the stress of cancer diagnosis and treatment. Given the rates of reported cancer-related PTSS in this sample, and other non-veteran samples, clinicians should consider screening these following diagnosis and treatment, particularly in younger adults and those with previous trauma histories.




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