Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Prevalence and severity of suffering among patients with advanced cancer

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Supportive Care in Cancer Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Suffering is an expression commonly used to describe distressing experience of cancer patients. Suffering experience among patients with advanced cancer has not been studied before in Saudi Arabia.

Objective

The objective of this study is to determine the pattern of suffering and the feasibility of measuring its severity on a numerical scale for cancer patients attending a palliative care outpatient clinic.

Methods

This is part of a larger survey studying the pattern of symptomatology in an outpatient palliative care clinic. Over a 5-month period, cancer patients attending an outpatient palliative care clinic were requested to rate their suffering as well as 11 listed symptoms on a 0–10 numerical scale.

Results

Of the 124 patients interviewed, 73 (59 %) were females. Only 15 patients (12 %) reported no suffering. For those who were suffering (88 %), the median score is 5. Suffering scores did not differ based on sex, age, or type of cancer. Patients with a Palliative Performance Scale of ≤50 % had significantly higher mean suffering score (6.8) compared to those with better performance status (4.8; P = 0.003). Multivariate analysis resulted in three independent variables showing a significant relationship to suffering score, namely pain (P = 0.018), tiredness (P = 0.022), and depression (P = 0.022).

Conclusion

Patients with advanced cancer were able to easily rate their suffering on a numerical scale. Pain, tiredness, and depression were associated with the suffering scores. Suffering scores might help in tracing the trend of suffering in the individual patient over time.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Central Department of Statistics and Information. Key indicators. Available at: http://www.cdsi.gov.sa/english/. Accessed 12 Nov 2011

  2. Ministry of Health. Cancer incidence and survival report, Saudi Arabia. Riyadh: Ministry of Health, National Cancer Registry; 2007. Available at: www.scr.org.sa/reports/SCR2007.pdf. Accessed 12 Nov 2011

  3. Al-Zahrani A, Baomer A, Al-Hamdan N, Mohamed G (2003) Completeness and validity of cancer registration in a major public referral hospital in Saudi Arabia. Ann Saudi Med 23(1–2):6–9

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Turk DC, Wilson HD (2009) Pain, suffering, pain-related suffering—are these constructs inextricably linked? Clin J Pain 25:353–355

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Cassell EJ (1991) Recognizing suffering. Hastings Cent Rep 20:24–31

    Google Scholar 

  6. Lesho E, Foster L, Wang Z et al (2009) The accuracy of physicians’ perceptions of patients’ suffering: findings from two teaching hospitals. Acad Med 84:636–642

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Alshemmari S, Ezzat H, Samir Z, Sajnani K, Alsirafy S (2010) Symptom burden in hospitalized patients with cancer in Kuwait and the need for palliative care. Am J Hosp Palliat Med 27(7):446–449

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Kirkova J, Walsh D, Rybicki L et al (2010) Symptom severity and distress in advanced cancer. Palliat Med 24(3):330–339

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Ho F, Lau F, Downing MG, Lesperance M (2008) A reliability and validity study of the Palliative Performance Scale. BMC Palliat Care 7:10

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Al-Shahri MZ, Sroor MY, Alsirafy SA (2010) The impact of implementing referral criteria on the pattern of referrals and admissions to a palliative care program in Saudi Arabia. J Support Oncol 8(2):78–81

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Astradsson E, Granath L, Heedman PA, Starkhammar H (2001) Cancer patients hospitalized for palliative reasons: symptoms and needs presented at a university hospital. Support Care Cancer 9:97–102

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Kuuppelomäki M, Lauri S (1998) Cancer patients’ reported experiences of suffering. Cancer Nurs 21(5):364–369

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Population and Housing Characteristics in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Demographic Survey 1428 H. (2007) Ministry of Economy & Planning, Central Department of Statistics & Information, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. www.cdsi.gov.sa/pdf/demograph1428.pdf. Accessed 15 Nov 2011

  14. Alsirafy SA, Sroor MY, Al-Shahri MZ (2010) Referral timing of in-hospital cancer deaths to palliative care in a Saudi tertiary care hospital. Progr Palliat Care 18(2):58–88

    Google Scholar 

  15. Benedict S (1989) The suffering associated with lung cancer. Cancer Nurs 12(1):34–40

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Deep appreciation goes to the palliative care experts Dr. Rafa Al Shehri (from National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), Dr. Ahmed Elsayem, and Dr. Nada Fadul (from MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA) for their kind review and approval of the validity of the AQSA.

Conflict of interest

None to declare.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Palliative Care Medicine, Oncology Centre, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, P. O. Box 365636, Riyadh, 11393, Saudi Arabia

    Mohammad Zafir Al-Shahri

  2. Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Abdelmoneim M. Eldali

  3. Palliative Care, Prince Sultan Oncology Centre, North West Armed Forces Hospital, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

    Omar Al-Zahrani

Authors
  1. Mohammad Zafir Al-Shahri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Abdelmoneim M. Eldali
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Omar Al-Zahrani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohammad Zafir Al-Shahri.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Al-Shahri, M.Z., Eldali, A.M. & Al-Zahrani, O. Prevalence and severity of suffering among patients with advanced cancer. Support Care Cancer 20, 3137–3140 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-012-1443-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-012-1443-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation