Psychological Impact and Clinicopathological Profile of Newly Diagnosed Female Breast Cancer Patients in Central India: An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study
Aug 2026· Medical Journal of Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth· Vol 19, pp. 868-873· 0 citations· 24 references
TL;DR
It is highlighted that the majority of patients present with advanced stages of breast cancer, with Stage II being the most common, and routine psychological evaluations into cancer care is recommended to improve patient outcomes.
Abstract
A
BSTRACT
Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among women globally and is responsible for a significant number of cancer-related deaths. In India, there is a rising incidence of breast cancer, particularly among younger women. This study aims to explore the clinicopathological profile and the psychological impact of breast cancer among newly diagnosed female patients at the Regional Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Nagpur, Maharashtra.
This cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2024 to June 2025. We included newly diagnosed female breast cancer patients with histopathological confirmation. A total of 100 participants were enrolled using a multistage cluster sampling technique to assess clinicopathological profile and psychological distress using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.
The majority were diagnosed with Stage II (69%), followed by Stage III (16%) and Stage IV (9%). Breast cancer predominantly affected the upper outer quadrant (67%). Psychological assessments revealed that the prevalence of anxiety was 30% (95% CI (confidence interval); 18.5–45.4) and the depression prevalence was 33% (95% CI; 20.3–49.4). An increase in depression was associated with advanced cancer stages (
P
= 0.008).
Our findings highlight that the majority of patients present with advanced stages of breast cancer, with Stage II being the most common. A significant psychological burden accompanies the diagnosis of breast cancer, with a considerable proportion of patients exhibiting symptoms of anxiety and depression. Therefore, we recommend integrating routine psychological evaluations into cancer care to improve patient outcomes.
Bangladeshi women with breast cancer frequently present at a younger age and advanced stage, with a substantial proportion of aggressive molecular subtypes, highlighting the need for early detection strategies and subtype-guided management in tertiary care settings.
Rana Jahangir Alam, Md. Saiful Islam, Iftakhar Al Mamun et al.· Journal of surgical sciences· 0 citations
A comprehensive exploration of clinical manifestations in breast cancer is vital, as it aids in identifying specific subtypes or disease stages, guiding treatment choices, and predicting patient outcomes. The current study aims to contribute to existing knowledge by conducting a cross-sectional investigation into breast cancer manifestations among women in Karbala city, Iraq. The study involved 293 women, focusing on symptoms such as lumps in the breast (92.8%), swelling of the axillary nodes (83.3%), nipple retraction (38.9%), nipple discharge (30.7%), and breast pain (100%). “Previous breast surgery” was identified as a significant predictor for all studied manifestations. At the same time, age was specifically significant for the “lump in breast” symptom with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.94 (95% CI, 0.89–0.98;
p
= 0.01). Among all the clinical manifestations studied, “previous breast surgery” demonstrated the highest predictive significance, showing ORs of 4.1, 2.5, 4.4, and 5.8 for “lump in breast,” “axillary nodes swelling,” “nipple retraction,” and “nipple discharge,” respectively. Furthermore, the occurrence of a “lump in breast” exhibited statistical significance when comparing patients with unilateral (
n
= 251) and bilateral (
n
= 21) breast cancer, with a
p
-value ≤0.001. The study revealed that younger age was associated with a higher likelihood of detecting breast lumps, potentially leading to earlier diagnoses. Women with a history of breast surgery were more likely to present with various clinical manifestations of breast cancer. The presence of a breast lump showed a significant difference between unilateral and bilateral cases. These findings can contribute to early detection, diagnosis, and better management of breast cancer in the study population and beyond.
Hawra Abdulridha Merzah, Suhair M. Hassoon, Luma H. Ali· Avicenna· 0 citations
Longer symptom duration was associated with larger tumor size, and larger tumor size was significantly associated with nodal positivity, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis, timely referral, and breast cancer awareness programs to improve clinical outcomes.
Ovi Mra, MZ Rahman, MF Eastiak et al.· Journal of surgical sciences· 0 citations
Cancer, which is a serious health problem globally today, has become a leading cause of death, and it diminishes the psychological well-being and quality of life of patients as well as their families. Even though medical treatments focus on the cancer, there is little concern for identifying the psychological issues and providing psychological support to cancer-diagnosed patients. This study aimed to assess the psychological distress and identify related psychological problems among cancer patients while highlighting the significance of psychological support for them. The study employed quantitative methods, and the sample comprised 60 diagnosed cancer patients from the North Central Province of Sri Lanka who were receiving medical treatment and residing at the Cancer Care Hospice and Teaching Hospital in Anuradhapura. Data were collected using the GHQ-30 Sinhala version and statistically analysed using IBM SPSS version 25. The study found that a significant majority of the cancer patients in the selected sample suffered from psychological distress, including associated factors such as depression, loss of confidence, insomnia, social dysfunction, and anxiety. It was concluded that a substantial number of cancer patients are experiencing serious psychological problems regardless of age, gender and level of education, and therefore, providing psychological support through counselling, psychotherapy, and psychiatric treatment is essential for cancer patients to enhance their mental health and overall quality of life.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women. Despite advances in treatment, some women still present at advanced stages of the disease. Although mammography screening can improve survival through early detection, there is ongoing debate regarding its benefits and potential harms. This study aimed to investigate the psychological consequences of breast cancer screening and the factors associated with them.
METHODS
This prospective cohort study was conducted in Iran and included 320 women aged 40-69 years who attended comprehensive health centers for gynecologic care and met the inclusion criteria. According to the eligibility criteria, women aged 35-69 years with a family history of breast cancer were also eligible; however, in practice, no participants younger than 40 years were enrolled. Participants were selected using convenience sampling, while health centers were chosen randomly. In total, ten centers from the northern and southern regions of the city were selected through simple random sampling by drawing lots. Participants were classified into two groups based on acceptance or refusal of mammography. Data were collected before and after the screening recommendation using a demographic and reproductive characteristics form and the Psychological Consequences Questionnaire (PCQ), which assesses emotional, social, and physical functioning. The reliability of the data collection tools was evaluated through a pilot study and calculation of Cronbach's alpha coefficients. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 18.
RESULTS
Before the screening recommendation, there was no significant difference in psychological consequence scores between the two groups (p = 0.53). After the recommendation, the total psychological consequence score and the emotional and social functioning subscales were significantly higher in the acceptance group compared with the refusal group (p < 0.05). The mean difference in total psychological consequence scores between the two groups was 0.82. In the acceptance group, total psychological consequence scores increased significantly after the screening recommendation (p < 0.001). Psychological consequences were inversely associated with age and income (p < 0.05); however, no significant associations were found with education level or number of children.
CONCLUSION
The findings indicate that recommending mammography screening is accompanied by increased psychological consequence scores, particularly in emotional and social domains. Age and income were identified as factors associated with psychological consequences. These results suggest that the screening process may elicit considerable psychological responses among women. Therefore, future interventional studies are recommended to evaluate the effects of educational and psychological support programs prior to screening on mitigating these consequences. From a public health policy perspective, addressing the psychological aspects of screening may improve women's experiences within national screening programs.
Newly diagnosed cancer patients often experiencing significant psychological disruption and a decline in quality of life (QoL), which may lead to interruptions in treatment. Nevertheless, the psychosocial status of these patient remains inadequately understood in resource-limited settings. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate psychosocial vulnerability, specifically psychological distress and QoL among newly diagnosed, treatment naïve patients, as well as the factors associated with these outcomes. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 231 newly diagnosed cancer patients between June and December 2024 at the oncology Department of Jimma University Medical Center (JUMC). Psychological distress and QoL were assessed using the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) distress thermometer (DT, version 1.2024) and the EORTC QLQ-C30, respectively. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed, and the strength of associations between dependent and independent variables was expressed as adjusted odds ratio (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Statistical significance was set at p-value < 0.05. More than half of the patients (51.95%: 95%CI 46%, 59%) experienced moderate-to-severe psychological distress. Higher odds of distress were observed among rural residents (AOR: 2.45), patients with co-morbidities (AOR: 3.59), those reporting low social support (AOR: 6.09), individuals with advanced-stage disease (AOR: 4.82), patients receiving palliative treatment intent (AOR: 2.32), those with ECOG performance status ≥ 2 (AOR: 4.15), and malnourished patients (AOR: 5.68). Notably, perceived low social support, advanced disease stage and malnutrition were common factors associated with both psychological distress and lower QoL scores. This study highlights the substantial burden of psychosocial vulnerability among newly diagnosed cancer patients, with more than half experiencing moderate-to-severe psychological distress. Significant differences in mean QoL scores were observed between early-and advanced-stage patients. Advanced stage disease, malnutrition, and low perceived social support were consistently associated with lower QoL scores. These findings underscore the urgent need to integrate psychosocial care with physical health care in oncology, particularly to address unrecognized psychosocial challenges in resource limited settings.
A. D. Dubiwak, Mulualem Tadesse, T. Belachew et al.· Scientific Reports· 0 citations
