Pst Intervention for Breast Cancer Survivors

Cancer is among the leading causes of premature death in Canada, with incidence and mortality rates being highest in the Atlantic provinces and Quebec. Advances in early detection and treatment strategies have caused mortality rates to decline, resulting in growing numbers of cancer survivors 1,2. Cancer survivorship is considered a distinct period in the cancer care continuum, during which many cancer patients have to cope with the physical, psychological, and sociological issues resulting from the cancer or cancer treatments 3. The “cancer survivor” concept is debated in the literature, because many would argue that a survivor is anyone with a history of cancer from the moment of diagnosis onward, but others claim that survivorship should be recognized only after the completion of primary treatment for cancer, or even after 5 years of cancer-free status. The present study operationalized “cancer survivor” as participants who had completed acute cancer treatment. Breast cancer survivors may experience severe stress because of cancer sequelae such as lymphedema, fertility complications, fatigue, fear of recurrence, and negative body image 4–6. As a result, many cancer patients continue to experience unique psychological and social issues during their survivorship years 7.