Psychosocial determinants of well-being in gynecologic cancer patients

The purpose of this study was to investigate the well-being of women with endometrial versus cervical cancer before treatment, and its determinants at 12 to 15 months follow-up. The subjects were interviewed before treatment, then 6 and 12 to 15 months after initiation of treatment. Simultaneously, they completed questionnaires on psychological symptoms and social support. It appeared that well-being at baseline and at the follow-ups were highly correlated. Furthermore, cervical cancer patients reported significantly more symptoms on all occasions. After discriminant function analysis, the following three variables remained in the analysis: (a) well-being before treatment, (b) diagnosis, and (c) children at home. This allowed 81% of the patients to be classified as having a favorable versus an unfavorable outcome. The results of this study highlight the importance of well-being before treatment as a predictor of well-being after treatment. The necessity of individualized intervention measures is warranted.