gms | German Medical Science

Objective: Aim of the study was to examine the relationship between mood states, health related quality of life (hrqogl) and the need for psychosocial care of cancer patients awaiting radiotherapy.

Material and methods: The EORTC Quality of Life questionnaire QLQ-C30 was used to determine hrqol, additionaly the Mainzer Mood states questionnaire (Mainzer Stimmungsfragebogen, Kurzversion, MStF-K) and the Hornheider questionnaire (Hornheider Fragebogen, HF) were used to estimate mood states (happy mood, anxious-depressive mood, morose mood) and the need for psychosocial care. N=120 cancer patients awaiting radiotherapy were included (age 29-91). Diagnoses were Breast-Ca (55%), Glioblastoma (14%), other (31%).

Results: Three consecutice regression analyses (RA) were performed, each with HF-score as dependent variable, and using backward procedure. In the first RA, scores for happy mood, anxious-depressive mood, and morose mood were included to predict HF-score, resulting in a regression coefficient of R=0.70 (p<0.001; no variable excluded). The second RA examined the predictability of HF by the function scales (physical, emotional, cognitive, role, social) and global hrqol score of the QLQ-C30. Regression coefficients ranged from R=0.81 (six variables) to R=0.80 (three variables: PF, EF, CF). The third RA combined mood states and hrqol-scores as prognostic variables. Regression coefficients ranged from R=0.83 (nine variables) to R=0.82 (four variables: PF, EF, CF, happy mood), with standardized beta coefficients -0.38, -0.33, -0.19, -0.19 for happy mood, EF, CF, and PF, respectively.

Conclusion: It seems possible to predict the need for psychosocial care of cancer patients, which are waiting for the start of a radiotherapy. Low scores in the happy mood-scale and the emotional function scale have the highest influence on the need for psychosocial care.