System Maintenance Notice

Please note that maintenance work is scheduled between 4 AM and 5 AM - CET. During this time, you may experience reduced performance. Thanks for your patience.

Publications

Clinical Trial Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Ppublish 8 citations

PubMed: 36812938 DOI: 10.6004/jnccn.2023.7085

Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Patients With Cancer During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A One-Year Longitudinal Study.

J Natl Compr Canc Netw 21(3):265-272.e7

Authors: Etienne Bastien, Sophie Lefèvre-Arbogast, Justine Lequesne, François Gernier, François Cherifi, Olivier Rigal, Lydia Guittet, Jean-Michel Grellard, Giulia Binarelli, Marie Lange, Marie Fernette, Laure Tron, Adeline Morel, Doriane Richard, Bénédicte Griffon, Alexandra Leconte, Florian Quilan, Louis-Ferdinand Pépin, Fabrice Jardin, Marianne Leheurteur, Audrey Faveyrial, Bénédicte Clarisse, Florence Joly

Affiliations

  • Medical Oncology Department, François Baclesse Center, Caen, France.
  • Anticipe (Interdisciplinary Research Unit for the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer), INSERM Unit 1086, Caen, France.
  • Clinical Research, François Baclesse Center, Caen, France.
  • National Clinical Research Platform for Quality of Life in Oncology, Besançon, France.
  • Medical Oncology, Henri Becquerel Center, Rouen, France.
  • Clinical Research, Henri Becquerel Center, Rouen, France.
  • Hematology, Henri Becquerel Center, Rouen, France.

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Patients with cancer may be particularly vulnerable to psychological consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. We studied the prevalence and evolution of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in patients with cancer during the pandemic waves, and we investigated factors associated with high symptoms.

METHODS

COVIPACT is a 1-year longitudinal prospective study of French patients with solid/hematologic malignancies receiving treatment during the first nationwide lockdown. PTSS were measured every 3 months from April 2020 using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised. Patients also completed questionnaires on their quality of life, cognitive complaints, insomnia, and COVID-19 lockdown experience.

RESULTS

Longitudinal analyses involved 386 patients with at least one PTSS assessment after baseline (median age, 63 years; 76% female). Among them, 21.5% had moderate/severe PTSS during the first lockdown. The rate of patients reporting PTSS decreased at lockdown release (13.6%), increased again at second lockdown (23.2%), and slightly declined from the second release period (22.7%) to the third lockdown (17.5%). Patients were grouped into 3 trajectories of evolution. Most patients had stable low symptoms throughout the period, 6% had high baseline symptoms slowly decreasing over time, and 17.6% had moderate symptoms worsening during the second lockdown. Female sex, feeling socially isolated, worrying about COVID-19 infection, and using psychotropic drugs were associated with PTSS. PTSS were associated with impaired quality of life, sleep, and cognition.

CONCLUSIONS

Approximately one-fourth of patients with cancer experienced high and persistent PTSS over the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and may benefit from psychological support.

CLINICALTRIALS

gov identifier: NCT04366154.

MeSH

Quality Of Life, Longitudinal Studies, Stress, Physiological, Neoplasms, Signs And Symptoms, Covid-19, Pandemics

Cited by