The quality of life of patients with head neoplasms and incidence of depression treated with radiotherapy. A preliminary research report

Abstract

Introduction. The diagnosis of a primary tumor of the central nervous system is a source of huge fear and anxiety for a patient, because the prognosis is usually unfavorable. Very often, the cancer is accompanied by depression, which reduces the effectiveness of treatment and worsens the patient’s functioning in everyday life. The aim. The aim of the study is to determine the cause-and-effect relationship between quality of life and incidence of depression, as well as the side effects of treatment in people treated with radiation for head cancer. Material and methods. The study group consisted of 103 patients during treatment in the Radiotherapy Ward of the Specialist Hospital in Nowy Sącz. The research tools were: the WHO QOL-Bref questionnaire, the Beck Depression Scale and a questionnaire of the author’s own design regarding patients treated with radiation therapy for head cancer. Results. The general perception of the quality of life in the studied group was 2.88 points, the general perception of the patient’s own health was 1.88 points. The average quality of life was the highest in the environmental field: 62.50 ± 23.21, while the lowest in the physical field: 44.24 ± 28.65. Conclusions. Both the overall assessment of the quality of life in the assessed areas and the perception of health by patients treated with radiation therapy for head cancer are low.