The Impact of Palliative supportive Care on the Psychosocial Well-being of Breast Cancer Patients with Lymphedema Referred to the Palliative Care Department at the Iranian Cancer Control Center (MACSA)

Introduction: Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is a common complication of breast cancer. Women with BCRL may face individual and social impairments and also psychological difficulties such as anxiety, depression, sexual dysfunction, social avoidance, and worsening of pre-existing psychological conditions. Materials and Methods: This research presents a before-and-after interventional study conducted from Oct. ۲۰۱۹ to Feb. ۲۰۲۱ on ۵۷ women diagnosed with BCRL to investigate the effects of a comprehensive palliative care approach, including lymph therapy and psychological support services, on the emotional and psychosocial well-being of individuals. The evaluation is conducted using the QLQ-C۳۰ and EORTC BR۲۳-QLQ questionnaires. Results: The functional area of the BR۲۳-QLQ questionnaire exhibited significant changes in the "Emotional functioning" and "Future perspective" scales, with mean differences of ۲۱.۲ and ۲۳.۴, respectively. Additionally, there was a significant improvement in the average scores of the "social functioning" and "role functioning" domains of the QLQ-C۳۰ questionnaire after the intervention and provision of palliative support services. (p-value < .۰۰۱).Conclusions: Providing palliative care positively impacts the mental well-being of patients. The intervention also enhances the functioning of patients both on an individual and social level. The BCRL primarily affects women, who often bear the main responsibilities within the household and family structure. Women play a crucial role as key pillars of societal functioning in contemporary society. The exclusion of women from their roles due to illness or its complications can have detrimental effects on individuals, their families, and society as a whole. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize rehabilitation and improve the provision of palliative supportive services for these patients.

کلیدواژه ها:

Breast Cancer ، Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema ، Quality of Life ، Palliative Care ، Questionnaire