Introduction: Cancer affects not only the body, but also the emotional well-being.
Diagnosing cancer brings with it a number of physical and emotional challenges that can
negatively affect the quality of life and the treatment process. Among other things, patients
often face the fear of relapsing the disease. It is defined as concern, fear, or worry that the
disease will reappear or progress. Fear of relapse is a common source of mental distress,
which can escalate into anxiety and depressive symptoms, but may escalate to the point
where it meets the criteria for a mental disorder. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to
determine the experiences and coping mechanisms of patients facing issues that may arise
during the treatment of malignant diseases and potential disease recurrence based on
questionnaire analysis. Methods: A descriptive method was used with a review of foreign
and domestic literature. We employed a quantitative approach with a survey method by
interviewing patients, which was conducted at the Oncology Institute in Ljubljana. In the
end we will compare the results with an article written by Sébastien Simard and Josée Savard
in 2009, where they also focused on the results of questionnaires on fear of recurrence in
breast cancer patients. Results: Patient data in the psycho-oncology department showed an
average mental distress thermometer score indicating moderate distress, with significant
clinical distress. Anxiety and general patient health questionnaires showed mild to moderate
symptoms in most patients. The study found significant differences in fear of repetition
compared to the normative pattern, with greater distress and more coping strategies among
participants. The high correlations between distress, depression, anxiety, and fear of relapse
are confirmed by the mental distress thermometer as a screening tool. Discussion and
conclusion: Mild to moderate symptoms of anxiety and depression and moderate ratings of
mental distress were found in breast cancer patients undergoing psychooncological treatment
while coping with the disease. Fear of recurrence was significantly higher in this clinical
group than in the normative group abroad. The high correlations between distress, depression
anxiety and fear of recurrence support the mental distress thermometer as a screening tool.
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