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Prospective analysis of psychological differences between adult and elderly cancer patients during postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy

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Abstract

Purpose

Despite the burgeoning geriatric population with cancer and the importance of understanding how age may be related to mental adjustment and quality of life so far, differences in coping strategies and psychological harm between the elderly and adults are hardly being taken into account to modify the approach to this population. The aim of this prospective study is to describe the differences in psychological characteristics between older and adult cancer patients and examine dissimilarities in their psychological evolution during adjuvant chemotherapy.

Methods

Adults (18–69 years old) and older patients (≥ 70) with newly diagnosed non-metastatic resected cancer admitted to receive adjuvant chemotherapy were recruited. Patients completed the following questionnaires: mini-mental adjustment to cancer, brief symptom inventory, shared decision-making questionnaire–patient’s version, multidimensional scale of perceived social support, EORTC quality-of-life instrument, life orientation test-revised, and satisfaction with life scale.

Results

500 cancer patients (394 adults and 106 older) were evaluated. The impact of the diagnosis was less negative among older patients, with no differences in coping strategies, quality of life, or search for support. Regarding psychological changes from the beginning to the end of the adjuvant treatment, both age groups reported more somatic symptoms, increased psychological difficulty, reduced coping strategies, and a significant decrease in quality of life at the end of postoperative chemotherapy.

Conclusion

Although there were clear psychological differences between adults and senior cancer patients, their evolution during adjuvant chemotherapy was similar, with deterioration in quality of life and coping. This negative psychological impact of adjuvant chemotherapy should be taken into account when considering interventions.

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Acknowledgements

With gratitude to all the patients participating and to all the medical oncologists collaborating in this study.

Funding

The study was supported by the FSEOM-Onvida for Projects on Long Survivors and Quality of Life. SEOM (Spanish Society of Medical Oncology) 2015.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Virgen de La Luz, Cuenca, Spain

    M. M. Muñoz-Sánchez & M. C. Soriano-Rodríguez

  2. Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    C. Calderon

  3. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Avenida Roma sn. 33011, Oviedo, Spain

    P. Jimenez-Fonseca

  4. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Fundación Alcorcón, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain

    C. Jara

  5. Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, Murcia, Spain

    T. García-García & A. Carmona-Bayonas

  6. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Virgen de La Macarena, Sevilla, Spain

    C. Beato

  7. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario La Princesa, Madrid, Spain

    J. Rogado

  8. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain

    B. Castelo

  9. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Tenerife, Spain

    R. Hernández

  10. Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Galdakao-Usansolo, Galdakao-Usansolo, Spain

    M. Mangas-Izquierdo

Authors
  1. M. M. Muñoz-Sánchez
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  2. C. Calderon
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  3. P. Jimenez-Fonseca
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  4. M. C. Soriano-Rodríguez
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  5. C. Jara
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  6. T. García-García
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  7. C. Beato
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  8. J. Rogado
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  9. B. Castelo
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  10. R. Hernández
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  11. M. Mangas-Izquierdo
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  12. A. Carmona-Bayonas
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. Jimenez-Fonseca.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

None to declare. This is an academic study.

Ethical approval

The study has been performed in accordance with the ethical standards of the Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments. This study is an observational trial without intervention.

Informed consent

Signed informed consent was obtained from all patients.

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Muñoz-Sánchez, M.M., Calderon, C., Jimenez-Fonseca, P. et al. Prospective analysis of psychological differences between adult and elderly cancer patients during postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. Clin Transl Oncol 20, 1604–1611 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-018-1901-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-018-1901-9

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