RESEARCH COMMUNICATION Interaction of Coping Styles and Psychological Stress on Anxious and Depressive Symptoms in Chinese Breast Cancer Patients

Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies affecting women (26% of all cancers) (Jemal et al., 2008). Although the incidence of breast cancer in China is lower than in other countries, but the incidence of breast cancer in past two decades have increased by 80% in young women (Zhang et al., 2010). The diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer in women can cause significant psychological distress (Zabora et al., 2001; Massie et al., 2004), and bring about psychological disturbance including anxiety and depression (Pandey et al., 2006; Jacobsen et al., 2008). Anxiety and depression are the most frequently reported cancer-related symptoms. More than 30% of the women with early breast cancer had depression, anxiety, or both at diagnosis (Burgess et al., 2005). Numbers of studies reported that depressed patients tend to be less proactive in seeking more aggressive treatments, and have severe symptoms, poor response to systemic therapy, long recovery times and poor outcomes (Walker et al., 1999