The effects of pain on quality of life in cancer patients

THE EFFECTS OF PAIN ON QUALITY OF LIFE IN CANCER PATIENTS The patients who has cancer increase in all over the world. Each year, 9 million patients who live in developing countries are newly diagnosed as a cancer. The development of new surgical techniques, the use of new drugs and other therapies in cancer treatment increase survival and decrease mortality in cancer patients. So quality of life of cancer patients is becoming increasingly important. The pain is most the common cancer-related symptom. Studies are shown the rate of cancer patients who have severe pain at diagnose time, during active treatment and advanced stage 14-100%, 50-70%, 60-90% respectively. In this study, the factors affecting the quality of life of cancer patients, the effects of these factors and pain on the quality of life of cancer patients were investigated. 175 patients who was treated in Akdeniz University Medicine Faculty Hospital Oncology Department were included. Short Form 36 and booklet which is used in Algology department of Akdeniz University Medicine Faculty Anesthesiology and Reanimation Department. In our study, the rate of patients who have pain and who have no pain 98.9% and 1.1% respectively. When we looked at the VAS score group of patients, we saw the pain affects negatively on quality of life scores. When we evaluate the factors like weakness, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, sweating and when we compare the patients who have these symptoms and no symptoms like this; we found that all of these symptoms have negative impact on quality of life. Key words: Pain, Quality Of Life, Cancer