title: Attitudes of cancer patients after diagnosis: How cancer affects social life? A Turkish Oncology Group study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Each year, 12.7 million people learn that they have cancer and 8.2 million people die of cancer worldwide. Cancer is a major public health issue which causes fundamental changes in the lives of patients and their families. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the lives of patients after diagnosis and determine the changes in their lifestyles.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between September 2013 to December 2013, a questionnaire consisting of 22 questions was administered during a face to face interview to patients at 13 different Oncology Units in Turkey. Each patient was queried during the administration of his/her chemotherapy. Eight of the questions featured independent choices, and 14 had dependent (multiple) choices.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1300 patients were included in the study. Of patients 9.5% were 71 years of age and older which was the oldest age group. The mean patient age was 54.6±13.8 years. Of the whole group of patients 58.5% were female and 41.5% male. After diagnosis, 64% of the patients reported that they were complying with guidelines for a healthy lifestyle and 80% said that they were eating healthier food. At the time they filled in the questionnaire, more than half of the patients (57.3%) felt optimistic about their disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diagnosis of cancer may change the patients' dietary and reading habits, social relationships, activities and more importantly, their point of life view.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Kahramanmaras Necip Fazil City Hospital, Kahramanmaras, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erdinc
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nayir
authors.forename: Mahmut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bakir Koyuncu
authors.forename: Ece
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Esin
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Turker
authors.forename: Ozgur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tanriverdi
authors.forename: Mukremin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uysal
authors.forename: Ozlem
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Er
authors.forename: Atakan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.forename: Tulay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tuzel Akman
authors.forename: Kezban
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nur Pilanci
authors.forename: Semra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paydas
authors.forename: Muharrem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kocar
authors.forename: Pinar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saip
authors.forename: Saadettin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kilickap
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Turhal
authors.forename: Turgut
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kacan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001290:Attitude; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D011932:Reading