Hope, coping strategies, and their predictors in older patients with prostate and breast cancer undergoing radiotherapy: A cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this paper was to evaluate the level of hope, coping methods, and the factors affecting them in patients aged 60 years and over who were diagnosed with breast and prostate cancer and who were receiving radiotherapy (RT) as part of their treatment.

METHODS: A total of 66 patients (37 breast cancer and 29 prostate cancer patients) were included in this cross-sectional study. The RT and treatment information of the patients were collected by using the records in the hospital database. The scale responses, baseline characteristics, and demographic information of the participants were collected through the questionnaire form and scales [HHI (Heart Hope Index), COPE (Coping Attitudes Assessment Scale), and VAS (Visual Analogue Scale)]. Two surveys were administered to the participants before and after radiotherapy treatment. A first survey was administered to the participants 10-15 days before radiotherapy treatment, and the second survey was administered within 2-3 weeks after radiotherapy treatment. The weight and waist circumference of the patients were also measured before and after radiotherapy.

RESULTS: The median age of the participants was 65 (interquartile range (IQR): 62.0-70.2) years. There was a decrease in the weight (mean change (MC): -1.5, 95% CI: -2.9 to -0.2, P = 0.029) and waist circumference (MC: -1.8, 95% CI: -3.2 to -0.4, P = 0.014) of the participants after RT. There was no significant change in the HHI (MC: 0.4, 95% CI: -0.7 to 1.5) and COPE (MC: -0.6, 95% CI: -3.2 to 2.0) total scores of the patients before and after RT (P = 0.459 and P = 0.650, respectively). When only patients with prostate cancer were studied, the self-help sub-dimension of COPE (MC: -1.5, 95% CI: -2.7 to -0.3, P = 0.013) was found to be lower.

CONCLUSION: Multidimensional evaluations and interventions may be required in terms of hope levels and coping attitudes of cancer patients receiving radiotherapy. There is an increasing need for further studies in larger populations and cohorts related to this topic in the literature.