Comprehensive assessment of cancer patients' concerns and the association with quality of life.
OBJECTIVE
Comprehensive assessment of perceived concerns can be used to guide supportive care appropriate to individual cancer patients. This study sought to determine the prevalence of cancer patients' concerns and the degree to which these concerns contribute to patients' quality of life.


METHODS
Participants were patients with all types of cancer, who completed an Internet survey questionnaire regarding comprehensive concerns about physical, psychological, psychosocial and economic aspects of having cancer. The questionnaire was based on the newly developed Comprehensive Concerns Assessment Tool and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire.


RESULTS
We obtained complete data from 807 patients. Factors related to 'self-management' concerns were the most common (61.2%), followed by concerns about 'psychological symptoms' (48.5%), 'medical information' (46.2%), 'daily living' (29.9%), 'pain' (17.6%), 'constipation' (15.6%) and other 'physical symptoms' (15.2%). Multiple regression analysis revealed that all concerns except those about 'medical information' significantly contributed to quality of life.


CONCLUSIONS
Cancer patients' concerns were shown to be multidimensional and significantly associated with quality of life. Thus, assessment of patients' concerns should be multidimensional in nature, and a multidisciplinary care team should help patients improve their quality of life.
Psycho-Oncology Division, Research Center for Innovative Oncology, National Cancer Center East Hospital, Kashiwa, Chiba.
Minori
M
Yokoo
Department of Psychiatry and Cognitive-Behavioral Medicine, Nagoya City Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Aichi.
Tatsuo
T
Akechi
Cancer Information Service Division, Center for Cancer Control and Information Service, National Cancer Center, Tsukiji, Tokyo.
Tomoko
T
Takayama
Patient Support Center, The Cancer Institute Hospital of Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Ariake, Tokyo.
Atsuya
A
Karato
Department of Patient and Family Support, Shikoku Cancer Center, Matsuyama, Ehime.
Yuki
Y
Kikuuchi
Cancer Prevention and Cancer Control Division, Kanagawa Cancer Center Research Institute, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.
Naoyuki
N
Okamoto
Cancer Prevention and Cancer Control Division, Kanagawa Cancer Center Research Institute, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.
Kayoko
K
Katayama
Psycho-Oncology Division, Research Center for Innovative Oncology, National Cancer Center East Hospital, Kashiwa, Chiba.
Takako
T
Nakanotani
Psycho-Oncology Division, Research Center for Innovative Oncology, National Cancer Center East Hospital, Kashiwa, Chiba asogawa@east.ncc.go.jp asogawa.ncche@gmail.com.
Asao
A
Ogawa
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000592:standards; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011788:Quality of Life; D012107:Research Design; D012648:Self Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
needs assessment; patient care team; quality of life; social support