Psychological assessment of women on an early breast screening program after radiotherapy to the chest wall for childhood cancer

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: This study investigates the psychological status in a population of female patients who received chest irradiation for a childhood cancer and were screened for second primary breast cancer. METHODS: Sixty-eight consecutive such young women were included. Compilation of the Crown-Crisp Index questionnaire was requested and 49/68 patients accepted to fill it in; 14 women in the sample had children (28%). RESULTS: Twenty-seven of 49 patients achieved a normal score, whereas in 22 the score was slightly above the normal range in at least one scale. Pathological scores were more frequent among the women without children. CONCLUSION: Quality of life in this series of long-term survivors does not seem to be severely affected by previous treatment for cancer nor by the concern for the onset of a second primary malignancy.