Impact of Cancer Diagnosis Awareness on Quality of Life
Author Information
Author(s): Montazeri Ali, Tavoli Azadeh, Mohagheghi Mohammad Ali, Roshan Rasool, Tavoli Zahra
Primary Institution: Iranian Institute for Health Sciences Research, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
Hypothesis
Does knowing one's cancer diagnosis affect the quality of life in patients with gastrointestinal cancer?
Conclusion
Patients who did not know their cancer diagnosis had a better physical, social, and emotional quality of life.
Supporting Evidence
- 52% of patients did not know their cancer diagnosis.
- Patients who knew their diagnosis had lower physical, emotional, and social functioning scores.
- Financial difficulties were significantly higher in patients who knew their diagnosis.
Takeaway
Some cancer patients feel better when they don't know they have cancer, which is surprising.
Methodology
Patients were interviewed using the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire to assess quality of life, comparing those who knew their diagnosis with those who did not.
Potential Biases
Cultural factors may influence the disclosure of cancer diagnosis and affect patient responses.
Limitations
The study did not include a site-specific measure for gastric cancer and relied on self-reported knowledge of diagnosis.
Participant Demographics
Mean age was 54.1 years, 56% male, 55% illiterate, with a majority married.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website