Literature Review: Breast Cancer's Impact on Survivors & Spouses

This literature review examines the multifaceted impact of breast cancer on survivors and their spouses. It synthesizes research findings from various studies, including both qualitative and quantitative methods, to assess the emotional, psychological, and relational consequences of the disease. The review explores how breast cancer affects communication, intimacy, and roles within the couple, highlighting the increased distress experienced by spouses and the need for specialized treatment and support for both individuals. Key themes include the potential for marital dissatisfaction, the impact on physical and mental health, and the importance of healthcare practitioners providing support to the patient's family members, with an emphasis on spiritual support and companionship. The review also considers the impact of income disparity, the use of social support, and the benefits of counseling and sex therapy in improving the quality of life and relationships of those affected by breast cancer. The findings emphasize the importance of addressing the mental and physical well-being of both the survivor and their spouse, highlighting the need for effective interventions and support systems to mitigate the negative impacts of breast cancer and promote positive outcomes.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Table of Contents
TOPIC: IMPACT OF BREAST CANCER ON SURVIVOR WITH SPOUSE.............................3
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

TOPIC: IMPACT OF BREAST CANCER ON SURVIVOR WITH SPOUSE
INTRODUCTION
Literature review is an article which helps in critical evaluation on the subject matter
which includes current knowledge on the research topic with theoretical and methodological
findings. This study includes, literature review on the impact of breast cancer on survivor with
spouse. The research was conducted on the basis of both quantitative and qualitative research
methods.
LITERATURE REVIEW
(Keesing, Rosenwax and McNamara, 2016) it has been sought to determine the effect
that, the research was conducted on the basis of qualitative research method which was
conducted by interviewing. Six couples were interviewed with the aim to understand and
evaluate the impact of breast cancer on the relationship between the survivor and spouse. The
interview was based on relationship between spouse and survivor during early survivorship and
also includes ongoing symptoms and impact of breast cancer on relationship, roles and
responsibilities. From the above analysis it has been examined that, women and their spouse
experience many changes post impact of breast cancer on survivor. (Litzelman and Yabroff,
2015) strived to establish that, the spouse of the patient is more distress than patients as it impact
their physical, emotional and psychological health. It has been analysed that, couples have
concerns in relation with interaction, communication, intimacy which highly impacted the
relationship between the survivor and spouse. The breast cancer survivor must be given
specialized treatment and spouse of the survivor experiences emotional, psychological and
relationship consequences. (Wu and et.al., 2019) has sought to determine that, the couples face a
sense of disconnection in their relationship and it has been examined that couple need additional
resources and support to effectively maintain their relationship for better results and outcomes.
(Sanchuli and et.al., 2017) sought to analyse the experience of breast cancer survivor and
their relationship with their spouse. Qualitative research method was used with conventional
approach where 12 patients who are suffering from breast cancer was selected and semi
structured interview was conducted to collect data from the patients to analyse and evaluate the
impact of breast cancer on survivor with spouse. It has been examined that, breast cancer has
adverse effect on the relationship of couples which ranges from love to fidelity and to infidelity.

Women who has survived breast cancer probably avoids getting intimate with their spouse. In
relation with this, (Boehmer and et.al., 2016) sought to determine effect that, women undergo
through marital dissatisfaction and leads to weak relationship with the spouse. Women undergo
through mastectomy and due to this women are less interested in having physical relationship
with their spouse. (Bhattacharyya and et.al., 2018) argued that, women suffer from psychological
disorders which have adverse impact on their relationship and leads to higher level of distress
and dissatisfaction in each other's life (Associations Between Breast Cancer Survivorship and
Adverse Mental Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review, 2018). The healthcare practitioners
must take necessary measures to assist patient's family members and spouse by effectively
handling their various social, psychological, emotional, and spiritual issues which are faced by
them during the cancer journey for higher results and outcomes. Effective support and caring
must be given to the patient by comprehensive understanding of the problem and finding
necessary solution which leads to higher results.
On the contrary, (Keesing, Rosenwax and McNamara, 2016) argued that, survivors of
breast cancer were mistreated by their spouse and are threatened to divorce them. It has been
examined that, spouse do not accompany their wives during the care process. Women with breast
cancer suffer from negative feedbacks, lack of support, boredom and are often rejected by the
family members and spouse. On the other hand, women must experience spiritual support and
companionship from their spouse to boost up their strength which leads to effective recovery of
the patient. Heavy burden of caring is imposed on the spouse which leads to new living
conditions, tiredness and excessive job pressures for spouse.
(Gesselman and et.al., 2017) strived to establish that, spouse of the breast cancer patients
go through various problems such as fatigue, sleeping disorder, communication and sexual
issues, eating disorders, mood disorders, low quality of life and disruption in lifestyle. Spouse
should undergo through specific training program which helps in effectively taking care of the
patient effectively which leads to higher results and recovery of the patient. Spouse should
effectively support their wives which helps in strengthening mental state of the patient.
Healthcare practitioners must effectively indulge in giving adequate support, guidance and
training for family members and spouse of the patient. (Sanchuli and et.al., 2017) sought to
determine effect that, counselling and sex therapy helps in improving sexual relationship
between women and their spouse. It has been investigated that, spouses of cancer survivor

experience positive as well as negative effects from care giving. Spouse undergoes through
depressed moods and mental distress.
(Cohee and et.al., 2017) sought to analyse the relationship between social cognitive
processing and depressive symptoms in spouse of the breast cancer survivor. It has been
established that, spouse suffer from depression, sleep deprivation, decline is physical health,
mood disturbance, anxiety, distress and psychological factors. (Gesselman and et.al., 2017)
sought to determine the effect that, there was a positive impact of spirituality on both breast
cancer survivor and spouse which leads to reduced occurrence of destructive and intrusive
thoughts and helps improve mental health of the patient and its family members.
According to,(Litzelman, Green, and Yabroff, 2016) it has been investigated that, poor
health of the patient can adversely influence the health outcomes of the spouse. Impact of breast
cancer survivors influence the quality of life of spouse and leads to mental and physical distress.
(Cohee and et.al., 2018) investigated that, spouse of the breast cancer survivor impact the quality
of life which leads to greater problem in the relationship of the couple. Multiple regression
analysis was conducted to analyse the impact of breast cancer on survivor with spouse. In
relation with this, (Boehmer and et.al., 2016), it has been sought to analyse that, spouse of the
breast cancer survivor is adversely affected as it has negative social constraints with the patient
which leads to emergence of intrusive thoughts and cognitive avoidance which result in
psychological distress. It has been examined that, spouse have depressive symptoms and also
adversely affect the mental health and quality of life. It has been examined that, the cause of
depressive symptoms are predicted by intrusive thoughts and social constraints. Spouse must aim
at giving proper care and treatment to the breast cancer survivor for higher results and outcomes
which leads to effective recovery of the patient.
(Litzelman and Yabroff, 2015) sought to determine that, breast cancer diagnosis,
treatment and the post treatment impose negative effect on the quality of living for survivors as
well as for their supportive partners. Physical symptom distress, depress, anxiety impose
negative impact on the survivor and their spouse which leads to mental disorder and discomfort.
In relation with this, (Wu and et.al., 2019) strived to establish that, there is a positive correlation
between income disparity and quality of life. High income patients are more likely to live better
quality of life which leads to effective results and recovery of patients. (Rogers and et.al., 2016)

investigated that, a quantitate approach has been used to determine the impact of breast cancer on
survivor with spouse with the help of questionnaire. It has been critically evaluated that, breast
cancer survivor and spouse will be adversely affected and it impacts the ability to perform
housekeeping task and occupational task. Women who tends to live with spouse most likely quit
working post treatment. It also leads to increase in fatigue and exhaustion among breast cancer
survivors which largely influence the behaviour of patients. It has been critically analysed and
evaluated that, when breast cancer survivor use social support seeking and focus on coping up
with the problems helps spouse and patient with lower depressive symptoms and anxiety. On the
contrary, when breast cancer survivor patients and spouse use emotion focused coping
experience leads to higher level of depressive symptoms and anxiety. It has been evaluated that,
breast cancer patient survivor has major impact on their spouse as it leads to mental distress,
communication gap, emotional, social and psychological distress, lack of intimacy, impact on
work life balance leads to various severe problems. Healthcare practitioners must get involved to
give training to patients family members and spouse for effective results and outcomes which
leads to effective recovery of the patients.
CONCLUSION
From the above study it has been summarized that, the spouse of the patient is more
distress than patients as it impact their physical, emotional and psychological health. It also states
that, breast cancer has adverse effect on the relationship of couples as they feel a sense of
disconnection in their relationship. On the contrary, it has been critically evaluated that, breast
cancer survivor use social support seeking for lower depressive symptoms and anxiety of
patients and spouse. It has been highlighted that, healthcare practitioners must get involved and
give training to patients, family members and spouse to effectively resolve the problem.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Bhattacharyya, G.S and et.al., 2018. 1546P Relationship between depressive symptoms at social
cognitive processing in partners of long term breast cancer survivors. Annals of
Oncology.29(suppl_8), pp.mdy296-007.
Boehmer, U and et.al., 2016. Fear of cancer recurrence in survivor and caregiver dyads:
differences by sexual orientation and how dyad members influence each other. Journal of
Cancer Survivorship.10(5).pp.802-813.
Cohee, A.A and et.al., 2018. Quality of life in partners of young and old breast cancer
survivors. Cancer nursing. 41(6).pp.491-497.
Cohee, A.A. And et.al., 2017, January. The relationship between depressive symptoms and social
cognitive processing in partners of long-term breast cancer survivors. In Oncology
nursing forum (Vol. 44, No. 1, p. 44). NIH Public Access.
Gesselman, A.N and et.al., 2017. Spirituality, emotional distress, and post‐traumatic growth in
breast cancer survivors and their partners: an actor–partner interdependence modeling
approach. Psycho‐Oncology.26(10).pp.1691-1699.
Keesing, S., Rosenwax, L. and McNamara, B., 2016. A dyadic approach to understanding the
impact of breast cancer on relationships between partners during early survivorship. BMC
women's health.16(1). p.57.
Litzelman, K. and Yabroff, K.R., 2015. How are spousal depressed mood, distress, and quality of
life associated with risk of depressed mood in cancer survivors? Longitudinal findings
from a national sample. Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Biomarkers.24(6) .pp.969-
977.
Litzelman, K., Green, P.A. and Yabroff, K.R., 2016. Cancer and quality of life in spousal dyads:
spillover in couples with and without cancer-related health problems. Supportive Care in
Cancer.24(2).pp.763-771.
Rogers, L.Q and et.al., 2016. Effects of a multicomponent physical activity behavior change
intervention on breast cancer survivor health status outcomes in a randomized controlled
trial. Breast cancer research and treatment.159(2). pp.283-291.

Sanchuli, H.N and et.al., 2017. From love and fidelity to infidelity-individual experiences of
women with breast cancer regarding relationships with their spouses. Asian Pacific
journal of cancer prevention: APJCP .18(10). p.2861.
Wu, L.M and et.al., 2019. Longitudinal dyadic associations of fear of cancer recurrence and the
impact of treatment in prostate cancer patients and their spouses. Acta Oncologica, pp.1-
7.
Online
Associations Between Breast Cancer Survivorship and Adverse Mental Health Outcomes: A
Systematic Review. 2018. [ONLINE]. Available
through:<https://academic.oup.com/jnci/article/110/12/1311/5164282>