Acquiescence to adjunctive experimental therapies may relate to psychological distress: pilot data from a bone marrow transplant center

Use of alternative therapy for breast cancer outside of the hospital settin g has been identified as a marker of psychological distress. Whether acquie scence to experimental therapies within the medical setting might also be a sign of psychological distress is not well known. We therefore evaluated p atients with breast cancer undergoing bone marrow transplantation (BMT), an experimental method for treatment, to determine if acquiescence to further adjunctive experimental therapy related to psychological distress. In orde r to do this, we studied psychological test results of 42 breast cancer pat ients undergoing BMT at the University of Florida between January and Decem ber 1997. These tests included the Medical Outcomes Short Form Health Surve y, the Beck Depression Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire. Women who accepted adjunctive experime ntal therapy had significantly higher trait anxiety and poorer role functio ning compared to women who did not (both P < 0.001). These findings suggest that psychological distress may be a factor in medical decision-making eve n within the medical setting and that prospective research in this area is warranted.