Cognitive testing with the Post-Operative Quality of Recovery Scale in pre-surgery cancer patients--a controlled...

Area of Science:

• Medical research
• Psychology
• Oncology

Background:

• The revised Post-Operative Quality of Recovery Scale (PQRS) accommodates normal cognitive variation.
• This revision may exclude subjects with poor baseline performance.
• The study investigates the impact of severe disease and cancer surgery waiting on PQRS cognitive performance and exclusion rates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effect of cancer and surgical waiting on baseline cognitive function using PQRS.
• To determine the exclusion rate in patients awaiting surgery based on PQRS cognitive performance.
• To evaluate cognitive performance variability at re-test in this patient group.

Main Methods:

• Sixty-one women (31 with breast cancer awaiting surgery, 30 healthy controls) participated.
• Participants completed PQRS cognitive, nociceptive, and emotional domains three times within 48 hours.
• Exclusion rates, score changes, and recovery criteria fulfillment were analyzed.

Main Results:

• A higher exclusion rate (29%) was observed in cancer patients compared to controls (7%) due to low baseline PQRS cognitive scores.
• Cognitive performance showed similar test-retest variability between patients and controls.
• Patients reported significantly higher anxiety and sadness, indicating greater emotional distress.

Conclusions:

• Women with breast cancer awaiting surgery exhibit lower baseline cognitive performance and increased emotional distress per PQRS.
• Despite baseline differences, cognitive performance variability is comparable between patients and controls.
• The high exclusion rate in surgical cancer patients using PQRS requires consideration.