Annelies Janssens1, Sofia Derijcke2, Daniëlle Galdermans3, Marc Daenen4, Veerle Surmont5, Els De Droogh3, Anneke Lefebure6, Erika Saenen7, Elke Vandenbroucke8, Ann-Marie Morel9, Anna Sadowska10, Jan P van Meerbeeck11. 1. Multidisciplinary Oncology Center Antwerp, Antwerp Hospital University, Edegem, Belgium. Electronic address: annelies.janssens@uza.be. 2. Department of Pulmonology-Thoracic Oncology, AZ Groeninge, Kortrijk, Belgium. 3. Department of Pulmonology-Thoracic Oncology, ZNA Middelheim, Antwerp, Belgium. 4. Department of Pulmonology, Ziekenhuis Oost Limburg, Genk, Belgium. 5. Department of Pulmonology-Thoracic Oncology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. 6. Department of Pulmonology-Thoracic Oncology, ZNA STER, Antwerp, Belgium. 7. Department of Lung Diseases/Allergology, AZ Heilige Familie, Reet, Belgium. 8. Department of Pulmonology-Thoracic Oncology, AZ Monica, Antwerp, Belgium. 9. Department of Pulmonology, Sint-Jozefkliniek Bornem and Willebroek, Bornem, Belgium. 10. Department of Pulmonology, Ziekenhuis Maas en Kempen, Campus Maaseik, Maaseik, Belgium. 11. Multidisciplinary Oncology Center Antwerp, Antwerp Hospital University, Edegem, Belgium.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Communication about the palliative setting remains a barrier for many physicians because they are afraid to harm the patient by giving bad news. We sought to determine whether this a valid concern; the influence of prognostic understanding on patients' quality of life (QoL); and which factors influence this relationship. METHODS: The present multicenter, cross-sectional study used a questionnaire to measure patients' prognostic understanding, QoL, mood, and coping strategy. RESULTS: We surveyed 125 patients with advanced lung cancer. Prognostic understanding correlated significantly with emotional well-being (r = -0.20; P = .01) and pain (r = 0.43; P = .00) but not with anxiety (r = 0.12, P = .12) or depression (r = 0.05; P = .29). Patients with anxiety (r = -0.23; P = .01) and patients with depressive feelings (r = -0.63; P = .00) experienced poorer QoL. Four in 10 patients reported feelings of anxiety and/or depression. Positive reframing as a coping strategy was associated with a better QoL (r = 0.25; P = .00). CONCLUSION: Prognostic understanding was related to poorer emotional well-being and more pain but does not affect mood. Four in 10 patients reported feelings of anxiety and/or depression, which were associated with a poorer QoL. A holistic approach seems necessary when physicians communicate about the palliative setting.
INTRODUCTION: Communication about the palliative setting remains a barrier for many physicians because they are afraid to harm the patient by giving bad news. We sought to determine whether this a valid concern; the influence of prognostic understanding on patients' quality of life (QoL); and which factors influence this relationship. METHODS: The present multicenter, cross-sectional study used a questionnaire to measure patients' prognostic understanding, QoL, mood, and coping strategy. RESULTS: We surveyed 125 patients with advanced lung cancer. Prognostic understanding correlated significantly with emotional well-being (r = -0.20; P = .01) and pain (r = 0.43; P = .00) but not with anxiety (r = 0.12, P = .12) or depression (r = 0.05; P = .29). Patients with anxiety (r = -0.23; P = .01) and patients with depressive feelings (r = -0.63; P = .00) experienced poorer QoL. Four in 10 patients reported feelings of anxiety and/or depression. Positive reframing as a coping strategy was associated with a better QoL (r = 0.25; P = .00). CONCLUSION: Prognostic understanding was related to poorer emotional well-being and more pain but does not affect mood. Four in 10 patients reported feelings of anxiety and/or depression, which were associated with a poorer QoL. A holistic approach seems necessary when physicians communicate about the palliative setting.
Authors: Kah Poh Loh; Mostafa R Mohamed; Sindhuja Kadambi; Eva Culakova; Huiwen Xu; Allison Magnuson; Marie Flannery; Paul R Duberstein; Ronald M Epstein; Colin McHugh; Ryan D Nipp; Kelly M Trevino; Chandrika Sanapala; Bianca A Hall; Beverly Canin; Arlene A Gayle; Alison Conlin; James Bearden; Supriya G Mohile Journal: Oncologist Date: 2021-02-13 Impact factor: 5.837