Evaluation of nausea-vomiting, fatigue and quality of life in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy

Background and Aim: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was designed to evaluate nausea-vomiting, fatigue, and quality of life in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Material and Methods: The study was conducted between November 2023 and March 2024 at the medical oncology clinic of a university hospital with 205 patients using face-to-face interviews. Data were collected using a sociodemographic information questionnaire, the Rhodes Nausea, Vomiting, and Retching Index (RHODES), the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G). Results: The average age of the patients was found to be 54.99 ± 11.48, and 56.6% of them were fully active (ECOG 0). The average number of chemotherapy cycles administered to the patients was 7.97 ± 8.42. The most commonly used chemotherapy agents were identified as Herceptin (52.7%) and Paclitaxel (25.4%). The total mean score on the RHODES scale was found to be 1.35 ± 4.09, indicating a very low level of nausea and vomiting. The mean score on the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) was 3.97 ± 1.28, indicating a low level of fatigue. The average total score on the FACT-G quality of life scale was 83.90 ± 14.71, indicating a good overall quality of life in breast cancer patients. It was found that patients who were married, employed, and had an ECOG performance score of 1 experienced lower levels of nausea and vomiting. On the other hand, patients with low income, a history of smoking, a family history of breast cancer, and a prior history of nausea and vomiting had higher levels of nausea and vomiting (p<0.05). Patients aged 50 or younger, with high income levels and an ECOG score of 0, experienced less fatigue, while those sleeping less than 8 hours a day experienced more fatigue (p<0.05). Patients with low income levels had lower quality of life; those who were non-smokers or had quit smoking, those who slept 8 hours or more daily, those with an ECOG performance score of 0, and those who had received 8 or more chemotherapy cycles had higher quality of life (p<0.05). Income level, sleep duration, and ECOG performance score were identified as independent factors affecting the severity of fatigue; income level and prior history of vomiting were found to affect the severity of nausea and vomiting; and ECOG score, severity of fatigue, and experience of nausea and vomiting were found to be independent factors affecting quality of life. Conclusion: As a result, it was determined that breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy experienced very low levels of nausea-vomiting and fatigue, and as the severity of nausea-vomiting and fatigue increased, their quality of life decreased. It was found that patients' sociodemographic, disease-related, and treatment-related characteristics (such as age, marital status, employment status, family history, chemotherapy cycle, etc.) were factors affecting their nausea-vomiting, fatigue, and quality of life. Based on these results, it is recommended that nurses evaluate these symptoms by considering the sociodemographic, disease-related, and treatment-related characteristics of breast cancer patients and plan appropriate nursing interventions. Keywords: Breast cancer, nausea-vomiting, fatigue, quality of life, nursing care