Influence Of Fear Of Transmitting Cancer To Relatives On Quality Of Life In Breast Cancer Patients

Abstract

Research has shown that some cancers such as breast, endometrial, colorectal and gastric cancers are associated with a genetic risk factor. In particular, people who are first-degree biological relatives are at higher risk of being diagnosed with carcinoma compared with those without a family history of malignancy. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of fear of transmitting cancer to loved ones on quality of life in patients with breast cancer. Material and Methods: 37 breast cancer patients with a mean age of 55.8 years (32-88 years) who completed a specific quality assessment questionnaire (FACT-B) were studied and followed. Results were processed with SPSS v. 20.0 using analysis of variance, comparative, analysis of variance and correlation. Results: There was a strong correlation between a diagnosis of breast cancer and patients' anxiety that another member of their family might get the same disease (r=0.622; p<0.001). Patients' anxiety that another member of their family might have the same disease was found to have a negative impact on overall quality of life scores (r=-0.433; p=0.008). Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that fear is an integral part of cancer patients' remaining life, negatively affecting overall quality of life, and is unrelated to age.