Patients' attitudes to totally implantable venous access port systems for gynecological or breast malignancies.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to analyze patients' port-related quality of life.


METHODS
260 consecutive patients with gynecological or breast malignancies were asked to take part in a questionnaire-based survey including 26 questions, and 232 women agreed to participate in the study. The questionnaire inquired about port-related aspects of everyday life and the use of a central venous access port device for chemotherapy and supportive cancer care. Multivariate analysis was used to identify parameters associated with satisfaction and dissatisfaction in relation to the port.


RESULTS
Most of the women were very satisfied with the use of a port to provide venous access for chemotherapy and supportive cancer care. Faster hospital procedures, good cosmetic results, and the ability to cope with the social environment had a significant influence on the degree of satisfaction. Fear of port punctures, inconvenient heparinization of the port, and fear of complications were found to be negative variables associated with the method.


CONCLUSIONS
Port catheters are well accepted by patients for chemotherapy and supportive cancer care. Generally ports should be rapidly removed after the end of antineoplastic treatment in order to improve patients' satisfaction with the procedure.
Kreis
H
H
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Erlangen University Hospital, Universitaetsstrasse 21-23, D-91054 Erlangen, Bavara, Germany.
Loehberg
C R
CR
Lux
M P
MP
Ackermann
S
S
Lang
W
W
Beckmann
M W
MW
Fasching
P A
PA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents