Study: Colorectal Cancer Patients Have Fewer Psychological Problems

Breast cancer patients, despite better prognoses, appear to suffer more psychological problems than colorectal cancer patients, according to a report in the European Journal of Cancer Care.

Researchers from Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich said that a study of 988 breast cancer patients and 327 rectal cancer patients conducted over a four-year period found the surprising difference in perceived quality of life between the two patient groups.

"Breast cancer patients reported poorer quality of life than rectal cancer patients in more than half the variables," the researchers reported. "In particular, they suffered significantly worse emotional functioning, fatigue, pain and sleeplessness."

Most of the breast cancer patients had a good prognosis, the researchers reported, and they said gender, age and therapy did not seem to explain why they reported a poorer quality of life.

"The negative public perception of breast cancer may play a role," the researchers concluded.

Other sources: Europeah Journal of Cancer Care