EFFECT OF CHEMOTHERAPY ON QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH LYMPHOMA.docVIP

ORIGINAL RESEARCH EFFECT OF CHEMOTHERAPY ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH LYMPHOMA Esra Saat?? 1 , Yüksel Ko?ak 1 , Nafiz Bozdemir 1 , Ersin Akp?nar 1 , Zeynep Kalayl?o?lu-Wheeler 2 1 ?ukurova üniversitesi T?p Fakültesi, Aile Hekimli?i Anabilim Dal?, Adana, Türkiye 2 Information Management Services Inc. , Rockville, MD, ABD ABSTRACT Objective: Advances in chemotherapy have significantly prolonged the survival of patients with lymphoma and a significant percentage of patients may be cured. The assessment of the quality of life in patients undergoing chemotherapy is of growing interest. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of chemotherapy on quality of life in patients with lymphoma. Methods: All patients (n=49) diagnosed with stage I lymphoma in the Cukurova University Oncology Department from June 2000 to January 2001 received a quality-of-life questionnaire (EORTC QLQ C-30) before chemotherapy and after the second cycle of chemotherapy. Results: Significant improvement during treatment was found in some of the physical activities, emotional state, relief from pain and fatigue, dyspnea, anorexia, sleep, and the global quality of life. When chemotherapy, age, gender and lymphoma type were taken into account, the most important factor influencing the global quality of life was educational status. Conclusion: The results may be used to reassure patients who are reluctant to go through chemotherapy that they are likely to experience an improved quality of life compared to their situation before the treatment. Keywords: Lymphoma, Quality of life, EORTC QLQ C-30, Turkey LENFOMALI HASTALARDA KEMOTERAP?N?N YA?AM KAL?TES?NE ETK?S? ?ZET Ama?: Kemoterapideki geli?meler lenfomal? hastalar?n ya?am sürelerini ?nemli derecede uzatm??t?r ve ?nemli say?da hasta tedavi edilebilmektedir. Kemoterapi alan hastalar?n ya?am kalitelerinin de?erlendiri