Behavioral symptoms in patients with breast cancer and survivors

Abstract

Behavioral symptoms are a common adverse effect of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment and include disturbances in energy, sleep, mood, and cognition. These symptoms cause serious disruption in patients' quality of life and may persist for years after treatment. Patients need accurate information about the occurrence of these adverse effects as well as assistance with symptom management. This review considers four of the most common behavioral sequelae of breast cancer, namely fatigue, sleep disturbance, depression, and cognitive impairment. Research on the prevalence, mechanisms, and treatment of each symptom is described, concluding with recommendations for future studies.

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Figure 1

Fatigue, depression, and sleep disturbance frequently co-occur in breast cancer patients and survivors. A variety of factors may contribute to the development and persistence of these symptoms. The key factors associated with these symptoms in the empirical literature are summarized here.