Determination of neuropatic pain in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, its effects on the quality of life and the applications for neuropathic pain

Neuropathic pain can develop due to neurotoxicity, which is one of the symptoms of chemotherapy, and can have a negative effect on the quality of life of patients. Patients can use methods to cope with pain. In this study; ıt was aimed to examine neuropathic pain and its effect on quality of life in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and to determine coping methods used for neuropathic pain.The study was conducted with the participation of 100 patients who admitted to outpatient chemotherapy service and inpatient oncology-hematology clinic of a foundation university hospital in Istanbul and the outpatient chemotherapy service of a public hospital in İstanbul between April 2019 and October 2020 for the determination of neuropathic pain. Data collected with the chemotherapy-associated neuropathic pain data collection form, S-LANSS and NePIQoL in 95% confidence interval and significance level p <0.05 using descriptive statistical methods (number, percentage, average, standart deviation) and Student t Test, ANOVA, Kruskall Wallis test and Mann Whitney test in SPSS 25.0 program. The ethical committee approval of the research was obtained. In the study where the average age was 56.73 ± 11.227 years and the highest rate was 61 years and over (42%), women (62%), married (83%) and primary school graduates (46%), 94% of the patients and its side effects, 74% thought that the pain was caused by the disease, and 35% used a coping method for neuropathic pain.It was found statistically significant that the pain intensity of the patients aged 50 and under was higher than the group aged 61 and over, that the pain intensity of women was higher than that of men, and that the pain intensity of the workers was higher than the non-working group.The fact that the pain intensity of the patients who received the 3rd cure was higher than the group that received the 4th and 5th cure chemotherapy (p <0.05) and that the quality of life of the group receiving the 3rd cure chemotherapy was higher than the group that received the 5th cure chemotherapy were found to be statistically significant (p<0.01). In addition, when the pain from neuropathic pain symptoms intensified, the quality of life of the group experiencing color change in the pain area was found to be higher than the group who did not live (p<0.01).A positive and weakly significant correlation between the Visual Analogue Scale and Neuropathic Pain Scale scores (r =, 305, p <0.01) and the Visual Analogue Scale and Quality of Life of Neuropathic Pain there is a positively and highly significant correlation between the Impact on Survey scores (r =, 728, p <0.01). There is a positive and weakly significant relationship between the scores of the Neuropathic Pain Scale and the Survey on the Effect of Neuropathic Pain on Quality of Life (r =, 356, p <0.01).Since it was found that the age, gender and employment characteristics of the patients and the number of chemotherapy cures affect the severity of pain and the quality of life of pain; Since the patients do not have enough information about neuropathic pain and its applications; Comprehensive evaluation of patients with neuropathic pain during treatment, especially in elderly patients; It is recommended to initiate a training program that will enable patients to detect and manage chemotherapy-related neuropathy symptoms early, to apply approaches that will enable them to evaluate neuropathy, to develop nursing education on the importance and regulation of patient education, and to conduct studies examining the purpose and effectiveness of the methods used by patients in coping with neuropathic pain. Keywords: Nursing, Cancer, Chemotherapy, Neuropathic pain, Coping