The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.
ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Oncol.
Sec. Gynecological Oncology
Volume 14 - 2024 |
doi: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1447644
This article is part of the Research Topic Mind-body medicine and its impacts on psychological networks, quality of life, and health - Volume II View all 17 articles
Perceived social support and quality of life in endometrial cancer patients: a longitudinal study
Provisionally accepted- 1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, S. Maria Nuova Hospital, IRCCS Local Health Authority of Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
- 2 Laboratory of Translational Research, Local Health Unit of Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
- 3 Psycho-Oncology Unit, S. Maria Nuova Hospital, IRCCS Local Health Authority of Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
Objective: This study aimed to assess the influence of medical history, perceived physician-patient communication, and perceived social support on changes in the quality of life (QoL) during the first year of follow-up in patients undergoing surgery for endometrial cancer (EC), the most prevalent gynecological cancer in Western countries, especially in Central and Eastern Europe and North America. Methods: This prospective longitudinal study included 98 EC patients. All participants completed the Short Form 36 (SF-36) and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) one month and one year after surgery. Additionally, one month after surgery, they responded to a questionnaire designed by the researchers concerning the key aspects of physician-patient communication. Results: Our findings revealed that patients reporting high social support one month after surgery demonstrated significantly improved emotional well-being (EWB) at both one month and one year after the surgery, with statistically significant higher scores in the dimension of EWB (p<0.05). The support from a significant other at one year correlates with greater PF (p<0.005), fewer limitations due to physical health (p<0.05), less pain (p<0.05), less fatigue (p<0.05), and better general and EWB (p<0.05). Conclusions: This study underscores the significance of perceived social support for patients cross endometrial cancer. The multifaceted nature of social support, encompassing emotional assistance and information sharing, emerges as a pivotal factor aiding patients in confronting the challenges inherent to EC. This form of support contributes to bolstering psychological well-being and enhancing overall QoL.
Keywords: endometrial cancer, Quality of Life, social support, Radiotherapy, physician-patient communication
Received: 11 Jun 2024; Accepted: 17 Jul 2024.
Copyright: © 2024 Mandato, Paterlini, Torricelli, Rabitti, Mastrofilippo and Aguzzoli. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Vincenzo Dario Mandato, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, S. Maria Nuova Hospital, IRCCS Local Health Authority of Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Marcella Paterlini
1