Article: A prospective study of the impact of nasopharyngeal cancer and radiotherapy on the psychosocial condition of Chinese patients

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TitleA prospective study of the impact of nasopharyngeal cancer and radiotherapy on the psychosocial condition of Chinese patients
AuthorsLee, PWH1 2
Kwan, TTC1
Kwong, DLW1
Sham, JST1
Pow, EHN1
McMillan, AS1
Au, GKH1
KeywordsCourse
Nasopharyngeal cancer
Psychological response
Psychosocial impact
Radiotherapy
Issue Date2007
PublisherJohn Wiley & Sons, Inc. The Journal's web site is located at http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/jhome/28741
CitationCancer, 2007, v. 109 n. 7, p. 1344-1354 [How to Cite?]
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cncr.22539
AbstractBACKGROUND. Radiotherapy (RT) promises optimistic results in the treatment of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). The objective of the current study was to map out prospectively the impact of NPC and RT on patients from diagnosis to 1 year posttreatment. METHODS. For this study, 67 Chinese patients (46 men and 21 women) with newly diagnosed stage I or II NPC who received primary RT were recruited. Physical and psychosocial adjustments were measured by using the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale, and the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Semistructured clinical interviews were conducted at bimonthly intervals from pre-RT to 1 year post-RT. RESULTS. Physical and psychosocial adjustments were poorest from pre-RT to the end of RT. Rapid improvements in all areas were noted in the first 2 months post-RT and reached a plateau at around the 6th month. At 1 year, except for physical symptoms and perceived stress, patient measures recovered to their pre-RT levels. At 1 year, patients had more physical complaints (P < .001) but less perceived stress (P = .002). The percentage of patients who expressed fear of dying dropped from 28% pre-RT to 2% at 1 year. However, patients who expressed "fear of the worst happening" increased from 51% pre-RT to 57% at 1 year. CONCLUSIONS. Different periods in treatment of NPC imposed different psychosocial demands on patients. The current results indicated that the period from diagnosis to 2-month post-RT was a high-risk period both physically and emotionally. After treatment, most patients showed resilience despite persistent side effects of RT and successfully resumed their pretreatment level of functioning by the end of the year. Despite resuming a normal or near-normal living, patients still noted a subdued fear of recurrence. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
ISSN0008-543X
2011 Impact Factor: 4.771
2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.578
DOIhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cncr.22539
ISI Accession Number IDWOS:000245229000015
ReferencesReferences in Scopus
DC Field
Value
dc.contributor.authorLee, PWH
dc.contributor.authorKwan, TTC
dc.contributor.authorKwong, DLW
dc.contributor.authorSham, JST
dc.contributor.authorPow, EHN
dc.contributor.authorMcMillan, AS
dc.contributor.authorAu, GKH
dc.date.accessioned2010-09-06T05:48:20Z
dc.date.available2010-09-06T05:48:20Z
dc.date.issued2007
dc.description.abstractBACKGROUND. Radiotherapy (RT) promises optimistic results in the treatment of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). The objective of the current study was to map out prospectively the impact of NPC and RT on patients from diagnosis to 1 year posttreatment. METHODS. For this study, 67 Chinese patients (46 men and 21 women) with newly diagnosed stage I or II NPC who received primary RT were recruited. Physical and psychosocial adjustments were measured by using the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale, and the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Semistructured clinical interviews were conducted at bimonthly intervals from pre-RT to 1 year post-RT. RESULTS. Physical and psychosocial adjustments were poorest from pre-RT to the end of RT. Rapid improvements in all areas were noted in the first 2 months post-RT and reached a plateau at around the 6th month. At 1 year, except for physical symptoms and perceived stress, patient measures recovered to their pre-RT levels. At 1 year, patients had more physical complaints (P < .001) but less perceived stress (P = .002). The percentage of patients who expressed fear of dying dropped from 28% pre-RT to 2% at 1 year. However, patients who expressed "fear of the worst happening" increased from 51% pre-RT to 57% at 1 year. CONCLUSIONS. Different periods in treatment of NPC imposed different psychosocial demands on patients. The current results indicated that the period from diagnosis to 2-month post-RT was a high-risk period both physically and emotionally. After treatment, most patients showed resilience despite persistent side effects of RT and successfully resumed their pretreatment level of functioning by the end of the year. Despite resuming a normal or near-normal living, patients still noted a subdued fear of recurrence. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
dc.description.naturelink_to_OA_fulltext
dc.identifier.citationCancer, 2007, v. 109 n. 7, p. 1344-1354 [How to Cite?]
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cncr.22539
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cncr.22539
dc.identifier.epage1354
dc.identifier.hkuros129561
dc.identifier.hkuros212281
dc.identifier.isiWOS:000245229000015
dc.identifier.issn0008-543X
2011 Impact Factor: 4.771
2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.578
dc.identifier.issue7
dc.identifier.openurl
dc.identifier.pmid17326045
dc.identifier.scopuseid_2-s2.0-33947528211
dc.identifier.spage1344
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10722/66672
dc.identifier.volume109
dc.languageeng
dc.publisherJohn Wiley & Sons, Inc. The Journal's web site is located at http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/jhome/28741
dc.publisher.placeUnited States
dc.relation.ispartofCancer
dc.relation.referencesReferences in Scopus
dc.rightsCancer. Copyright © John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
dc.subject.meshAdult
dc.subject.meshAged
dc.subject.meshCarcinoma, Squamous Cell - psychology - radiotherapy
dc.subject.meshChina - epidemiology
dc.subject.meshFemale
dc.subject.meshHumans
dc.subject.meshMale
dc.subject.meshMiddle Aged
dc.subject.meshNasopharyngeal Neoplasms - psychology - radiotherapy
dc.subject.meshPatient Satisfaction
dc.subject.meshProspective Studies
dc.subject.meshQuality of Life - psychology
dc.subjectCourse
dc.subjectNasopharyngeal cancer
dc.subjectPsychological response
dc.subjectPsychosocial impact
dc.subjectRadiotherapy
dc.titleA prospective study of the impact of nasopharyngeal cancer and radiotherapy on the psychosocial condition of Chinese patients
dc.typeArticle
Author Affiliations
  1. The University of Hong Kong
  2. Queen Mary Hospital Hong Kong