Assessment of Pain Management, Acceptance of Illness, and Adjustment to Life with Cancer in Patients with Nonmuscle Invasive Bladder Cancer

Abstract

Purpose According to the European Association of Urology bladder cancer is the seventh most commonly diagnosed malignancy in the world's male population. Despite its high incidence, papers evaluating psychological state in those patients' group are lacking. The purpose of the study was to evaluate pain management, disease acceptance, and adjustment to cancer in homogenous group of patients diagnosed with nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Methods Group of 252 male patients who were scheduled for NMIBC treatment were prospectively evaluated. Patients fulfilled Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS), Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer (Mini-MAC) and Coping Strategies (CSQ) questionnaires before treatment introduction. Results Highest CSQ score was achieved by the coping self-statements subscale (mean=18,37). The catastrophizing subscale score was the lowest (mean=11,24). Place of residence affected results of CSQ statement about pain control. Catastrophizing and coping self-statements strategies were associated with matrimonial status. In the Mini-MAC questionnaire the fighting spirit way of coping had the highest (21,73) and the helplessness-hopelessness subscale had the lowest mean value (13,3). Matrimonial status was strongly associated with anxious preoccupation, fighting spirit, and helplessness – hopelessness way of coping. The mean AIS test score was 28.8. AIS result was influenced by patient's marital status, yet not by education, place of residence, nor any clinical factor. Conclusions In the examined group, the level of acceptance of the disease reached values that were slightly higher than the average. It indicated a fairly good adaptation to cancer. Among the methods of coping with cancer, the constructive style is definitely dominant with a high intensity of the fighting spirit strategy. The destructive style of cancer coping reached low values with a low intensity of helplessness/hopelessness strategy. From pain coping strategies, self-statements and praying/hoping were the most commonly chosen ways, whereas catastrophizing was the rarest. Many associations between various questioners' results were also observed.

Pain Perception and Acceptance of Illness in Patients Undergoing Phacoemulsification Cataract Surgery under Drip Anesthesia

“…We obtained completely different results in our study of cataract patients; the most frequently adopted strategy was praying/hoping, while the rarest was increased behavioral activity. Similar results in the case of praying/hoping, as one of the most common strategies for coping with pain, have been noted in many other publications studying cancer patients [40,41,42,43,44].…”

“…Our study showed that people who were better educated perceived pain as more severe; however, there was no statistically significant correlation in this case. Krajewski et al came to the same conclusions in their study [40], while Czerw et al obtained completely different results [24,41]. The correlation we obtained may be illusory because women and people from younger age groups were better educated.…”

“…When analyzing the place of residence, we found that patients in rural areas had significantly higher pain reduction abilities compared with patients living in urban areas. Krajewski et al drew similar conclusions [40]. However, these results were in contrast to the results of other authors [24,43].…”

“…Cybulski et al [45] found no statistically significant differences between men and women, as well as between age groups in terms of the point values of individual scales and their subscales. In the study by Krajewski et al [40], patients’ age also did not have a significant impact on the results of the CSQ, although there are studies in the literature in which age statistically significantly influenced the strategies for coping with pain [47].…”

The relationship between depression, anxiety, and pain catastrophising in cancer patients

“…Diagnosis of cancer is an emotional, psychological, and physically traumatic experience, which causes anxiety, helplessness, and disability in most patients. Many studies have proven that these changes are often negative and are connected to stress caused by the diagnosis, fear of the disease, and fear of death [1]. One of the most common and disturbing symptoms in patients with cancer is pain.…”