Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34482373›Full record

SynthesisBritish journal of cancer2021

The mental health impacts of receiving a breast cancer diagnosis: A meta-analysis.

Justine Fortin, Mélissandre Leblanc, Guillaume Elgbeili, Matthew J Cordova, Marie-France Marin, Alain Brunet

Abstract readMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in British journal of cancer, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 93 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
93citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

93 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  8. The effects of staged sexual health education on sexual and mental health in breast cancer patients: a randomized controlled study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
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  13. Narrative medicine in patients with cancer during intravenous antiblastic therapy: a qualitative study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
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33 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Justine FortinDepartment of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada. justine.fortin@umontreal.ca.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7536-7363
Mélissandre LeblancDepartment of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
Guillaume ElgbeiliPsychosocial Research Division, Research Center of the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, QC, Canada.
Matthew J CordovaDepartment of Psychology, Palo Alto University, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
Marie-France MarinDepartment of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
Alain BrunetPsychosocial Research Division, Research Center of the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, QC, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundReceiving a breast cancer diagnosis can be a turning point with negative impacts on mental health, treatment and prognosis. This meta-analysis sought to determine the nature and prevalence of clinically significant psychological distress-related symptoms in the wake of a breast cancer diagnosis.

methodsTen databases were searched between March and August 2020. Thirty-nine quantitative studies were meta-analysed.

resultsThe prevalence of clinically significant symptoms was 39% for non-specific distress (n = 13), 34% for anxiety (n = 19), 31% for post-traumatic stress (n = 7) and 20% for depression (n = 25). No studies reporting breast cancer patients' well-being in our specific time frame were found.

conclusionMental health can be impacted in at least four domains following a diagnosis of breast cancer and such effects are commonplace. This study outlines a clear need for mitigating the impacts on mental health brought about by breast cancer diagnosis. CRD42020203990.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsFemaleHumansMental Healthdepressiononcology, anxietypost-traumatic stresspsychological distresswell-being

Identifiers

PMID34482373
PMCPMC8608836

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.