The mean age of cancer patients participating in the study was 60.10±12.10 years; 53.2% were male, 89.4% were married, and 67.8% were primary/secondary school graduates. 59.3% of the patients stated that they did not smoke, 79.9% did not use alcohol, 79.1% of them stated that their income was at a medium level, 79.6% were not working, 97.3% had health insurance. At the same time, it was determined that the patients were diagnosed with cancer an average of 2.36±2.65 years ago, 27.1% of the patients had lung cancer, 52% had surgery related to the diagnosis of cancer, and 43.2% received radiotherapy treatment (Table 1).
The mean BDI-CV self-efficacy scale score of the patients was 79.10±17.55, which was above the moderate level. Mean ESAS pain score of the patients 2.01±2.57, mean fatigue score 3.53±2.81, mean nausea score 1.33±2.29, mean depression score 1.92±2.33, mean anxiety score 2.00±2.41, mean drowsiness score 2.46±2.78, mean appetite score 2.57±3.02, the mean score of feeling well-being was 2.70±2.49, the mean score of dyspnea was 1.50±2.50, the mean score of changes in the skin and nails was 1.71±2.62, the mean score of sores in the stomatite or mouth sore was 1.25±2.14, and the mean score of numbness in the hands was 1.72±2.35. The highest mean score on ESAS of the patients was found in the symptom of fatigue (3.53±2.81) and the lowest mean score in the symptom of mouth sore (1.25±2.14) (Table 2).
A statistically significant difference was found between the genders of the patients participating in our study and ESAS score of shortness of breath and the score of numbness in the hands and feet (p<0.05). The mean shortness of breath score of male patients was higher than female patients (p=0.042). The mean scores of numbness symptoms in the hands were higher in female patients than in male patients (p<0.01). (Table 3).
In our study, a statistically significant difference was found between the education status of the patients and the BDI-CV self-efficacy scale mean score (p<0.05). High school graduate patients’ self-efficacy scores were higher than primary/secondary school graduate patients’ (p=0.029). (Table 3).
A statistically significant difference was found between the income status of the patients participating in our study and the BDI-CV self-efficacy scale mean score, fatigue and sense of well-being symptom ESAS scores (p<0.05). Patients with good income status had higher self-efficacy scores than patients with poor income status (p=0.004). Patients with low income status had higher ESAS fatigue symptom scores than patients with good income status (p=0.021). Patients with good income status had a higher feeling of well-being than patients with low income status (p=0.039) (Table 3).
A statistically significant difference was found between the working status of the patients participating in our study and the symptoms of ESAS fatigue, anxiety, drowsiness, appetite and sense of well-being (p<0.05). Fatigue, anxiety, drowsiness, appetite, and sense of well-being symptoms were worse in non-working patients compared to working patients (p<0.01, p=0.048, p=0.033, p=0.002, p=0.013, respectively) (Table 3).
In our study, a statistically significant difference was found between the smoking status of the patients and the BDI-CV self-efficacy scale mean score, ESAS fatigue, sense of well-being and shortness of breath symptoms (p<0.05). Patients who quit smoking had higher self-efficacy scores than patients who did not smoke (p=0.003). Fatigue symptoms were worse in smokers than in non-smokers and ex-smokers (p=0.002). The feeling of well-being score was worse in smokers than in patients who quit smoking (p=0.005). The symptoms of shortness of breath were worse in patients who quit smoking compared to patients who did not smoke (p=0.006) (Table 3).
In our study, a statistically significant difference was found between the alcohol use status of the patients and the symptoms of ESAS shortness of breath (p<0.05). The symptoms of shortness of breath were worse in patients who stopped using alcohol compared to patients who did not use alcohol (p=0.021) (Table 3).
A statistically significant difference was found between the patients who participated in our study and the ESAS score of pain and numbness symptoms in the hands (p<0.05). While the pain symptom of the patients who did not have surgery was worse than the patients who had surgery (p=0.041), the numbness symptom of the hands was worse in the patients who had surgery compared to the patients who did not have surgery (p<0.01) (Table 3).
In this study, a statistically negative correlation was found between BDI-CV self-efficacy score and ESAS pain, fatigue, nausea, depression, anxiety, drowsiness, appetite, sense of well-being, shortness of breath, skin and nail changes, and stomatite or sore mouth. As the patients' BDI-CV self-efficacy scores increased, their symptoms decreased (Table 4).
In this study, a statistically positive correlation was found between age and ESAS depression, appetite, and shortness of breath symptoms. As the mean age of the patients increased, the symptoms of depression, appetite and shortness of breath increased (Table 4).
In this study, a statistically significant positive correlation was found between the ECOG performance scores of the patients and ESAS pain, fatigue, nausea, depression, anxiety, drowsiness, appetite, sense of well-being, shortness of breath, skin and nail changes, and stomatite or sore mouth symptoms. As the ECOG performance scores of the patients increased, their symptoms also increased (Table 4).
In this study, a statistically significant positive correlation was found between the time of diagnosis and the symptoms of sore mouth and numbness in the hands. As the time until the diagnosis is made increased, the symptoms of mouth sores and numbness in the hands also increased (Table 4).