Curie Brief
Turn on cookies to sign in
Signing in saves your progress to your Curie account. We can only do that with cookies on — turn them on to continue.
News
A structured nurse-led program slashes death anxiety in breast cancer patients. A clinical trial found that women with breast cancer on hormonal therapy who participated in a six-session support program had significantly lower death anxiety scores than those receiving routine care — and the benefits lasted at least a month after the program ended.
Women with breast cancer undergoing hormonal therapy often carry a heavy psychological burden — and a new clinical trial suggests a nurse-led support program can meaningfully lighten it. Researchers in Iran randomized 66 women to either a comprehensive support program or routine care, finding that those in the intervention group reported dramatically lower death anxiety scores immediately after the program and one month later.
The program consisted of six sessions (45–60 minutes each), delivered in person and virtually in small groups. Topics ranged from self-care and nutrition to anxiety reduction techniques, spirituality, and sexual health — covering the full spectrum of concerns patients face during hormonal therapy.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Death anxiety is a real and often undertreated concern in cancer care. This study shows that a structured, nurse-delivered program — scalable through virtual delivery — can provide lasting psychological benefits, making it a practical addition to breast cancer care plans.
