title: Spiritual quality of life in advanced cancer patients receiving radiation therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this randomized controlled trial for patients with advanced cancer receiving radiation therapy was to determine the effect of a multidisciplinary intervention on spiritual quality of life (QOL) at the end of the intervention (week 4) and at two follow-up time points (weeks 26 and 52).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred thirty-one persons were randomized to either the intervention or control (forms only) groups. The intervention included six 90-min in-person sessions based on the physical, emotion, social, and spiritual domains of QOL. Three sessions included the spiritual component. Caregivers were present for four sessions, one which included a spiritual component. Ten follow-up phone calls were made to the patients in the intervention group during the 6-month follow-up period. Patients completed the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy: General Scale, the Linear Analog Self-Assessment which includes an assessment of spiritual QOL, and the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT-Sp) at enrollment, and weeks 4, 27, and 52.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following the intervention, the intervention group demonstrated improved spiritual QOL on the FACIT-Sp, whereas the spiritual QOL of the control group decreased, resulting in significant mean changes between groups (total score: 1.7 vs. -2.9; p < 0.01; meaning/peace subscale: 1.0 vs. -3.5; p < 0.01; faith subscale: 3.1 vs. -1.7; p = 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that a multidisciplinary intervention which includes a spiritual component can maintain the spiritual QOL of patients with advanced cancer during radiation therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chaplain Services, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Katherine M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Piderman
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Marlene H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Frost
authors.forename: Pamela J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Atherton
authors.forename: Daniel V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Satele
authors.forename: Matthew M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Maria I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Lapid
authors.forename: Jeff A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Sloan
authors.forename: Teresa A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Rummans
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002604:Chaplaincy Service, Hospital / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D029181:Spirituality; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: advanced cancer; oncology; quality of life; randomized controlled trial; spiritual well-being; spirituality
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