Effect of the First Chemotherapy Course on the Quality of Life of Cancer Patients in Turkey

Multiple studies have examined the quality of life of cancer patients before or after treatment, but few have evaluated the impact of a specific course of treatment on cancer patients' quality of life. Using a longitudinal design, we examined the quality of life of 24 women and 8 men before receiving their initial course of chemotherapy and again at 21 days after the first course of chemotherapy. The study was carried out at the outpatient chemotherapy unit of a university hospital located in the city of Izmir, West Turkey. Research data were collected using a patient demographic form and the Rolls Royce Model Quality of Life Scale. All of the postchemotherapy mean scores from the quality-of-life instrument were statistically significantly lower at day 21, except for the cognitive functioning subscale. Overall, initial chemotherapy was found to have a significantly negative effect on the quality of life of cancer patients. Nurses can help patients prepare for an initial decrease in their quality of life early in treatment.