The effect of psychosocial factors on breast cancer outcome: a systematic review

Breast Cancer Research

Table 5 Association of the examined psychosocial factors with survival/recurrence

	Survival	Recurrence	No impact
Coping			[9], [17], [23], [26]
Cognitive/role functioning	+ [29]	+ [29]^a
Beliefs about cancer incurability			[27]
Fighting spirit	+ [30]	-[4]	[14], [21], [29]
Stressful events	-[29]	+ [12], -[13], -[25]^b	[6], [9], [13]^c, [25]
Anxiety	-[7]	+ [20]	[4], [5], [8], [9], [14], [16], [21], [29], [30]
Hopelessness/helplessness	-[7]	+ [4], + [10], + [21]	[14], [21]^d, [29], [30]
Joy	+ [11]		[5]
Depression/negative mood	+ [5], -[11], -[21], -[24], -[28], -[33]		[4], [8], [9], [13], [16], [25], [30], [29], [33]^e
Perceived social support	+ [15], + [26], -[33]		[30], [33]^f
Social support	+ [6]^g, + [15]^h, + [31], + [34]		[4], [10], [13], [23], [30], [34]ⁱ
Minimizing	+ [23], + [33]
Repressive defensiveness/emotional constraints	-[7], -[24], -[33]		[4], [21], [33]^j
Adjustment	+ [18]^k		[4], [8]
Fatalism/stoic acceptance		+ [4]	[14], [21], [26], [29], [30]
Positive constructing daydreaming	-[7]
Denial/avoidance	+ [29], -[33]	-[4]	[14], [21]
Locus of control			[8], [9], [18], [26], [30]
Anger/hostility	+ [5], -[9], -[11]	+ [9]	[4], [8], [16], [29]
Vigor/activity			[5], [29]
Fatigue/inertia			[29]
Guilt	+ [5]
Extroversion	+ [9]		[4]
Expressive activities	+ [9]	-[9]
Group participation (religious/non-religious)	+ [6]		[15], [19], [34]
Confusion/bewilderment			[29]
Somatization, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, interpersonal sensitivity, paranoid ideation, psychoticism	+ [5]		[4], [9], [16]
Self-esteem			[8], [9]
Hobbies	+ [19]
Female child	+ [19]
Marriage	+ [6], + [19], + [32]		[10], [15], [29], [34]

The number in brackets is the number of the reference. Symbols: +, increased survival/recurrence; -, decreased survival/recurrence. ^aCognitive functioning. ^bPost-diagnosis. ^cDuring follow-up period. ^dAt 1 year follow up. ^eRecurrence. ^fNo impact on recurrence. ^gYounger age groups. ^hWhite women. ⁱPost-diagnosis. ^jRecurrence. ^kSexual adjustment. Minimisation: elimination of the impact of cancer on social, work, and family life. Perceived emotional support: reflects participant's ability to talk about disease related distresses with family/friends. Locus of control: reflects patient's beliefs about whether health outcomes are under control of powerful others/random forces. Emotional defensiveness: suppression and control of emotions.

ISSN: 1465-542X