The present study aims to assess the effect of group reality therapy on depression and anxiety in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy in Ali-Ibn-Abitalib hospital, Zahedan, in 2017-2018. The current study is an application of research using a semi-experimental design. It employs a pretest-posttest design and separates participants into control and experiment groups. Additionally, it is a qualitative study in terms of data collection.Beck’s depression and anxiety inventory (1998, 2000) was used to collect data. The statistical population of this study consists of all the breast cancer patients hospitalized in Ali-Ibn-Abitalib hospital, Zahedan. Non-probability available sampling was used to select the sample. The sample size consisted of 24 individuals randomly divided into two groups of experiment and control. The inclusion criteria were doctors’ diagnosis and depression and anxiety diagnosis based on the BDI and BAI. The experiment group received reality therapy in 10 90-minutes sessions, and the control group received no intervention. Data were analyzed using univariate covariance analysis. The results showed that group reality therapy leads to less depression and anxiety in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Oral mucositis (OM) is one of the most common complications of mucotoxic cancer therapy. Mucositis induces clinically significant pain, increases the risk of infections and affects the patients' quality of life. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effects of an herbal preparation from Plantago ovata hydrocolloid in the prevention and treatment of OM, in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy with a regimen including adriamycin. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, AND INTERVENTIONS: This research was a double-blind, randomized, controlled crossover trial. The herbal compound consisted of a mixture of 500 mg of P. ovate husk in 30 mL water plus three drops of vinegar per dose, which was used as a mouthwash. Phytochemical and physicochemical tests of the compound were also performed. Twenty-eight patients who developed mucositis during the chemotherapy screening cycle were randomized to the herbal compound (n = 14) and placebo (n = 14) groups. They received herbal compound or placebo three times per day during their next chemotherapy cycle (cycle 1 of treatment). Patients were crossed over during cycle 2 of treatment and received the alternative therapy. An oral care protocol was prescribed to all patients in cycles 1 and 2 of the treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The patients were visited at baseline, the end of the first and second weeks of the screening cycle, and the end of the first and second weeks of each of two treatment cycles. The degree of mucositis was used as the main treatment outcome. Other indexes, such as the severity of pain, xerostomia grade and the quality of life were also measured. RESULTS: Compared with the placebo, the herbal compound significantly reduced the degree of mucositis, the severity of pain and the xerostomia grade; it also improved the patients' quality of life (P < 0.05). Comparison between the screening cycle and placebo treatment group showed that the oral care protocol had a significant effect in the reduction of OM (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The oral care protocol and the herbal compound based on P. ovata are effective ways for preventing and treating OM in patients undergoing mucotoxic cancer therapy. TRIAL REGISTRATION Iranian registry of clinical trials IRCT20180923041093N1.