Purpose
The importance of the quality of life (QOL) and mental condition of patients being treated for cancer is now recognized. In
this study, we evaluated QOL and mental condition in patients with cancer before and after radiotherapy.
Materials and methods
The subjects were 170 patients who had undergone radiotherapy. The examination of QOL was performed using the quality of life
questionnaire for cancer patients treated with anticancer drugs (QOL-ACD), and mental condition (anxiety and depression) was
examined using the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS). These examinations were performed at the start of radiotherapy
and immediately after radiotherapy.
Results
The QOL score was slightly higher in all patients after the completion of radiotherapy than before the start of radiotherapy.
In the palliative radiotherapy group, QOL score was significantly improved by treatment. Anxiety and depression were improved
after radiotherapy. There was a correlation between the degrees of improvement of the HADS and QOL score.
Conclusion
We could treat cancer patients by radiotherapy without reducing their QOL, and improvement in QOL was significant in the palliative
radiotherapy group. Mental condition was also improved after radiotherapy.
Key words Radiotherapy - Cancer patients - Quality of life - Psychological response