QUALITY OF LIFE OF PATIENTS UNDERGOING SURGICAL TREATMENT OF LOWER LIMB CANCER
Authors:   Department of Medical Psychology and Psychophysiology, Saint Petersburg State University (Russia), Iakovleva Maria , Shchelkova Olga ,   Department of Medical Psychology and Psychophysiology, Saint Petersburg State University (Russia), Usmanova Ekaterina ,   Department of Medical Rehabilitation, National Medical Research Center of Oncology named after N.N. Blokhin (Russia)
Published: May 2021

"Patients suffering from oncological diseases are the focus of attention of both physicians and psychologists. Although tumor lesions of bones and soft tissues are a relatively rare condition, its effect on the person’ mind and lifestyle are significant, and its treatment is a challenge, also in terms of patient’s adaptation to the disease and therapy. There are various strategies for treating this pathology; all of them are associated with high-tech medicine focused on maintaining or improving patients’ quality of life (QoL). The aim of the present research is to study the psychological characteristics and QoL of patients undergoing surgical treatment of tumor lesions of bones and soft tissues of lower limbs. Material and methods. 36 patients were examined (mean age 58,22; 19 – men). The SF-36 questionnaire, Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WCQ), and Big Five Personality Test (BFI) were used. Treatment by means of the isolated limb perfusion technique was prescribed to 15 patients (group 1); 21 patients were subjected to lower limb amputation due to their disease (group 2). Results. It was found that patients who underwent amputation are characterized by lower rates on the coping scale ‘accepting responsibility’ than patients from the perfusion group (p < 0.05); at the same time, patients from the second group had higher values on the ‘openness’ scale of the BFI compared to the first group (p < 0.1). The study of the relationship between patients’ QoL parameters, personality and coping showed that in the first group the values on the coping scale ‘seeking social support’ negatively correlate with ‘bodily pain’ (p < 0.01), and ‘escape–avoidance’ negatively correlates with ‘social functioning’ (p < 0.01). In the second group, the following significant correlations between personality traits and QoL were revealed: ‘extraversion’ is positively associated with ‘physical functioning’, ‘role-emotional’ and ‘mental health’ (p < 0.01), ‘agreeableness’ has a negative correlation with ‘bodily pain’ and ‘general health’ (p < 0.01), ‘neuroticism’ is negatively related with ‘bodily pain’ and ‘general health’ (p < 0.01), ‘openness’ is positively associated with ‘bodily pain’ and ‘general health’ (p < 0.01). Conclusion. The data obtained emphasizes the importance of taking into account personality characteristics in the management of patients with cancer, including tumor lesions of the bones and soft tissues, as well as the dynamic nature of QoL and its close interconnection with the stage and strategy of treatment and patients’ personality. Psychological support for patients is required for their successful adaptation to the illness and therapy. Acknowledgement. This research was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) (Grant No 20-013-00573)."