PTSD Symptomotology Predicting Quality of Life in Late Stage Cancer Patients (727)

Abstract

1.Demonstate negative impact of posttraumatic intrusions on psychological and physical quality of life in end stage cancer patients.2.Explore impact of avoidant postraumatic symptomotology on psychological and physical quality of life in end stage cancer patients.3.Recognize presence of avoidant or intrusive sypmtolomtology in end stage cancer patients and provide recommendatons and treatment guidelines for health care providers in palliative medicine. PTSD symtomatology is associated with the degree to threat of life. Clinical significance of PTSD in end stage cancer patients is the impact on health-related quality of life (QOL). This study explores the impact of PTSD symptomatology (intrusions and avoidance) on QOL in end stage cancer patients. Research Objectives1.Demonstrate negative impact of posttraumatic intrusions on psychological and physical QOL in end stage cancer patients.2.Explore impact of avoidant posttraumatic symptomatology on psychological and physical QOL in end stage cancer patients.3.Recognize presence of avoidant or intrusive sypmtomatology in end stage cancer patients and provide recommendations and treatment guidelines for health care providers in palliative medicine. Eighty late-stage cancer patients (Mean age = 59.7, SD = 12.5; 48.8% male, 51.2% female; varying cancer diagnoses) who were receiving cancer treatment in an outpatient oncology clinic and recently failed or refused first line anti-neoplastic treatment completed questionnaires assessing PTSD intrusive symptoms and PTSD avoidant symptoms (IES) as well as physical and psychological quality of life (SF-36). The data were analyzed for predictive relationships between intrusive and avoidant symptoms and physical and psychological quality of life. Greater PTSD intrusive symptoms predict poorer psychological quality of life (R2 change = 0.244, change F(1,48) = 28.35, P < 0.001). Greater PTSD avoidant symptoms independently predicted poorer psychological quality life (R2 change = 0.386, change F(1.51) = 26.10, P < 0.001). Physical quality of life was not adversely impacted by PTSD symptomatology. PTSD intrusive and avoidant symptoms are present in late stage cancer patients and independently impact psychological QOL. The relationship between avoidance and intrusion symptoms and psychological QOL is not attributable to overall poorer physical condition.