Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Well-Being, Dignity and Hope in Adult Patients with Solid and Hematologic Malignancies, on Cure or Follow-Up

Carla I Ripamonti, Loredana Buonaccorso, Alice Maruelli, Guido Miccinesi

Oncology-Supportive Care in Cancer Unit, Department Onco-Ematology, Fondazione IRCCS, Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Italy
AMO, Association of Oncological Patients from nine towns and villages located in the Northern area of Modena, Italy
Psychology Unit, LILT and Center for Oncological Rehabilitation-CERION of Florence, Italy
Clinical Epidemiology Unit, ISPO-Institute for the Study and Prevention of Cancer, Florence, Italy

^*Correspondance to: Carla I Ripamonti 

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Abstract:

Introduction: In oncological setting, the assessment of physical/emotional symptoms and above all of existential/religious needs and resources, hope and dignity are rarely performed in the routine clinical practice. Moreover, comparative assessments of patients with Solid Cancers (SC) vs. those with Haematological Malignancies (HM) are lacking.Patients and
Methods: We analyzed data collected in 2 similar cross-sectional studies of consecutive patients with SC or HM on cure or follow-up regarding the presence and intensity of physical/ emotional symptoms, religious needs and resources, level of hope and dignity–related distress. We used the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS), System of Beliefs Inventory (SBI_15R), Hert Hope Index (HHI) and Patient Dignity Inventory (PDI).Results: 289 patients with SC and 169 with HM were involved with a mean age of 61 and 58 years respectively (p=.012); 56% of patients with HM vs. 43% with SC were male (p=.009). KPS ≥80 was above 90% in both groups, and 49% of the HM as well as the SC patients were on active treatments; 18% of the HM patients had received psychological support vs. 29% SC patients (p=.007). No significant differences were observed between the two groups regarding physical/emotional symptoms, dignity – related distress and the presence of hope, whereas religious resources were higher among patients with solid cancer (p=.036). Among HM patients, in comparison with the phase of diagnosis hope score was significantly lower during the treatment phase (-3.3; 95% CI: -5.6; -1.0), and in case of relapse/metastases (-6.6; 95% CI: -11.6; -1.6).Conclusion: SC and HM patients don’t differ much in their physical, emotional and spiritual needs, even if HM patients seem to be more vulnerable to losing hope as the disease progresses. More important, HM patients may lack sufficient patient support.

Keywords:

Physical/emotional symptoms; Existential/religious needs/resources; hope; Dignity related distress; Solid cancer; Haematological malignancies

Cite the Article:

Ripamonti CI, Buonaccorso L, Maruelli A, Miccinesi G. Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Well-Being, Dignity and Hope in Adult Patients with Solid and Hematologic Malignancies, on Cure or Follow-Up. Clin Oncol. 2017; 2: 1268.