Alexithymia and Breast Cancer Surgery: A Systematic Review
Domenico De Berardis *
Department of Mental Health, NHS, Psychiatric Service of Diagnosis and Treatment, Hospital “G. Mazzini”, ASL 4 Teramo, Italy and Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Science, Chair of Psychiatry, University “G. D’Annunzio”, Chieti, Italy and Polyedra Clinical Group, Teramo, Italy
Stefano Marini
Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Science, Chair of Psychiatry, University “G. D’Annunzio”, Chieti, Italy and Polyedra Clinical Group, Teramo, Italy
Felice Iasevoli
Polyedra Clinical Group, Teramo, Italy and Department of Neuroscience, Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry and Psychopharmacotherapeutics, Section of Psychiatry, University School of Medicine “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
Monica Mazza
Polyedra Clinical Group, Teramo, Italy and Department of Health Science, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
Alessandro Valchera
Polyedra Clinical Group, Teramo, Italy and Villa S. Giuseppe Hospital, Hermanas Hospitalarias, Ascoli Piceno, Italy
Michele Fornaro
Polyedra Clinical Group, Teramo, Italy and Columbia University, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York City, NY, USA
Giampaolo Perna
Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hermanas Hospitalarias, FoRiPsi, Villa San Benedetto Menni, Albese con Cassano, Como, Italy and Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Leonard Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Florida, USA
Laura Orsolini
Polyedra Clinical Group, Teramo, Italy and Villa S. Giuseppe Hospital, Hermanas Hospitalarias, Ascoli Piceno, Italy and School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Herts, UK
Alessandro Carano
Department of Mental Health, NHS, Psychiatric Service of Diagnosis and Treatment, Hospital “Madonna Del Soccorso”, A.S.U.R. 12, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy
Gabriella Girinelli
Polyedra Clinical Group, Teramo, Italy
Federica Vellante
Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Science, Chair of Psychiatry, University “G. D’Annunzio”, Chieti, Italy and Polyedra Clinical Group, Teramo, Italy
Ilaria Matarazzo
Department of Mental Health, NHS, Psychiatric Service of Diagnosis and Treatment, Hospital “G. Mazzini”, ASL 4 Teramo, Italy and Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Science, Chair of Psychiatry, University “G. D’Annunzio”, Chieti, Italy and Polyedra Clinical Group, Teramo, Italy
Nicola Serroni
Department of Mental Health, NHS, Psychiatric Service of Diagnosis and Treatment, Hospital “G. Mazzini”, ASL 4 Teramo, Italy
Marilde Cavuto
Polyedra Clinical Group, Teramo, Italy
Giovanni Martinotti
Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Science, Chair of Psychiatry, University “G. D’Annunzio”, Chieti, Italy
Maurizio Brucchi
Senology Unit, Hospital “G. Mazzini”, ASL 4 Teramo, Italy
Massimo Di Giannantonio
Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Science, Chair of Psychiatry, University “G. D’Annunzio”, Chieti, Italy
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The term alexithymia is a complex multidimensional construct that literally means “no words for mood”. There are two kind of alexithymia: primary and secondary or otherwise called trait and state alexithymia. There is still an unresolved debate about the nature of alexithymia as a trait or a state. The etiology of alexithymia has not been completely determined because of the numerous factors influencing its development. Alexithymia has been observed among patients with a variety of psychiatric disorders and medical conditions. The aim of this systematic review was to review studies investigating the correlations between alexithymia, depression and anxiety in breast cancer surgery women. Literature search was conducted in January, 2016. PubMed and Scopus databases were used to find studies for inclusion in the systematic review. Correlations between alexithymia, depression and anxiety evidenced that alexithymia may be considered a stable personality trait and an important factor to the development of anxiety symptoms. However, limitations of these studies must be considered and further investigations are needed.
Keywords: Alexithymia, breast cancer, surgery, women, state, trait, anxiety, depression