Abstract:

Objective: This study was planned to investigate the quality of life, physical activity and fatigue levels in patients with different cancer types and their caregivers Material and Methods: Total 180 caregivers and 180 cancer patient were recruited and divided lung cancer (n=60, age: 55.77±7.27 years, Body Mas Index-BMI: 20.22±1.12 kg/m2), breast cancer (n=60, age: 49.68±9.51 years, BMI: 20.72±1.18 kg/m2) and colon cancer (n=60, age: 52.53±7.77 years BMI: 19.57±0.92 kg/m2) in this study. Physical activity level was evaluated with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), fatigue was evaluated with the Piper Fatigue Scale. Quality of life were assessed using the EORTC-QLQ-30 scale in cancer patients and the SF-36 scale in caregivers. Results: Fatigue level was higher in lung cancer and caregivers, and lower in breast cancer and caregivers (p<0.05). All sub-dimensions of fatigue in lung and colon cancer caregivers were higher than breast cancer caregivers (p<0.05). Physical activities of breast and colon cancer patients were higher than lung cancer (p<0.05), no difference found in caregivers (p>0.05). The quality of life (EORTC-QLQ-30) was found to be different in sub-parameters except physical, nausea-vomiting, loss of appetite and financial difficulty (p<0.05). The role, cognitive, social, and dyspnea subdomain scores were higher in lung cancer (p<0.05). The functionality, emotionality, general health and symptom scores were lower in breast cancer patients, the pain and sleep disturbance scores were higher in colon and lung cancer patients (p<0.05). Constipation and diarrhoea scores were higher only in colon cancer patients (p<0.05). SF-36 physical function parameter was higher in breast cancer caregivers, while general health parameter was lower in lung cancer caregivers (p<0.05). Conclusion: Fatigue was higher in lung cancer and caregivers, while the physical activity of lung cancer was lower than breast and colon cancer. The cancer type was a parameter on fatigue in caregivers, but it did not affect the level of physical activity. It was observed that the quality of life of cancer patients was affected differently from the process.

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