Radiotherapy: Impact of quality of life and need for psychological care: Results of a longitudinal study

Background: In the framework of a prospective longitudinal study, the quali ty of life (QoL) and support requirements of patients from a university hos pital department of radiotherapy were evaluated for the first time by means of established psychodiagnostic questionnaires. Patients and Methods: At f irst, 732 patients were screened, of whom 446 (60.9%) fulfilled the criteri a for inclusion; 39.1% did not (refusals 21.0%, low Karnofsky performance s tatus 6.6%, management problems 3.4%, language barriers 3.0%, cognitive res trictions 2.6%, death 2.5%). Disease-specific aspects of QoL (Functional As sessment of Cancer Treatment - General, FACT-G) and moderating variables [S ocial Support Scale (SSS), Disease Coping (FKV), Self-Assessment Depression Scale (SDS), and Self-Defined Care Requirements (BB)] were self-rated by p atients with different tumor types before radiotherapy (T1), after radiothe rapy (T2), and 6 weeks after the end of radiotherapy (T3). We studied 265 p atients (157 male, 108 female; median age 58.6 years) with complete data of three time points. Results: In general, QoL of patients decreased signific antly over all time points in all subscales. Social support was rated high and remained constant throughout the treatment. Apparent coping mechanisms were active problem-oriented coping, leisure activities, and self-support. The patients' depression proved to be an important and constant factor with out significant changes. The support requirement is characterized by the ne ed for more medical information and dialogue with a physician. Conclusions: Early specific support from personnel with radiotherapeutic skills, during the disease-coping process as well as during rehabilitation, should be a p ermanent component of an integrated radiooncological treatment schedule.