Researchers at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Hasselt University have launched a major study into a new pain relief treatment method for breast cancer survivors which will also address a less well-known aspect of the disease: a sense of injustice.
Many people whose cancer is successfully treated still suffer from some complaints, the most common of which are fatigue and pain, however, the sense of injustice felt among this group is just as prominent and persistent, but not as widely discussed or researched.
“We are starting a major study into a new treatment that very specifically addresses this feeling of injustice," Researcher Eva Roose.
Mental and physical complaints are often related, meaning negative feelings — related to questions about why the patient in question was affected and had to undergo difficult treatment — can in some cases reinforce pain, causing a vicious circle, as confirmed by previous research by a research group led by two VUB professors.
Happier life
All these elements will be taken into account in the new study, which will eventually result in a tailor-made treatment programme being set up with a method that treats both mental and physical pain.
"This has never been done like this before. We want to investigate whether this treatment focused on feelings of injustice can reduce physical and mental symptoms after cancer treatment," Roose said, adding that the feelings of injustice should not be ignored in pain treatment.
The study will be based on a treatment that focuses on explaining the possible causes of the persistent complaints and the impact of the feeling of injustice on these complaints.
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"We help the patient shift the focus, from that feeling of injustice to a more positive mindset." This will then be followed up by a tailored programme that allows the patient to focus on the activities they enjoy doing.
"It is our goal and hope that with this treatment, we can help and guide cancer survivors to a happier and higher-quality life," Roose concluded.
