Symptom prevalence and management of cancer patients in Lebanon.
BACKGROUND
Cancer patients experience a great number of distressing physical and psychological symptoms. In Lebanon, there are no available data on symptom prevalence and symptom management in adults with cancer.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of symptoms and the effectiveness of treatment received as reported by patients.


METHODS
The study used a cross-sectional, descriptive survey design. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale were translated to Arabic and used; data were collected from adult Lebanese cancer patients at the American University of Beirut Medical Center.


RESULTS
A total of 200 cancer patients participated in the study; the majority were female with breast cancer and mean age was 54 years. The cognitive functioning domain of the EORTC QLQ-C30 scale was found to have the highest score and social functioning the lowest. The most prevalent symptom was lack of energy. Nausea and pain were the symptoms most treated. Males reported better quality of life (QoL), physical functioning, and role functioning than females; females reported more fatigue, pain, and appetite loss than males. Higher physical and psychological symptoms were correlated with lower health status, QoL, and functioning.


CONCLUSIONS
Although this sample reported a fair QoL and social functioning, many symptoms were highly prevalent and inadequately treated. Symptoms were found to negatively affect QoL and functioning. Based on these results, providing adequate symptom management and social support to Lebanese cancer patients is highly recommended.
Hariri School of Nursing, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon. huda.huijer@aub.edu.lb
Huda
H
Abu-Saad Huijer
Sarah
S
Abboud
Myrna
M
Doumit
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019090:Case Management; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007861:Lebanon / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D018401:Sample Size; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D063189:Symptom Assessment; D055815:Young Adult