Cancer pain and patient life quality

Abstract

Introduction: Pain is one of the most burdensome symptoms of cancer disease. Assessing cancer pain, according to world tradition, relates to pain induced in cancer process or arised as a result of therapy. While having a cancer, pain is felt by 50% of diseased and  felt even by 75% when advanced stadium of cancer. Cancer pain was considered as main somatic determinant of life quality, contributing to lowering of physical, professional and social activity, due to long and continous period.

Objective: Aim of the examination is assessment of quality of life, during pain therapy caused by cancer disease.

Material and methods: 100 of patient, took part in the examination with diagnosed cancer disease, 64% of women and 36% of men, aged 28-79 years old and average age was 52 years, residing urban (73%) and rural (27%) area.

Testing methods used in the examination, were: diagnostic questionnaire , documentation analysis and pain measurement. Tools used in the research, were: Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), QLQ-C30 questionnaire as well as self survey questionnaire.

Results: In sensory dimension, 32% of respondents specified their pain as severe, 26% as intense, 20% as mild, however 17% described their pain as moderate. In emotional dimension, 19% of interviewees, described their pain as exhaustive and tiring. When assessing pain intensity with VAS scale, it was indicated that, majority of respondents (55%) had felt moderate pain, 23% mild pain, 3% intense pain, 2% agonizing pain, though, 17% of respondents had not felt pain. For 43% of respondents, pain influence their life quality in average degree, for 26% of interviewees, pain influence their quality of life to a great extent, however 31% claim that pain affect their quality of life to a small degree.  Because of disease, financial difficulties occured among 77% of respondents, as well as, social and family contacts reduction, occured amid 57% of interviewees. 

Conclusions: Life quality of people with cancer is getting worse as cancer pain occurs. Pain therapy, has positive impact on life quality of those suffering with cancer. Occurence of cancer pain, has significant impact on life in social sphere, as well as, functioning and playing social role.