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Quantifying Cognitive Decrements Caused by Cranial Radiotherapy
Published on: October 18, 2011
Sleep Disturbances in Lung Cancer Patients Assigned to Definitive or Adjuvant Irradiation
Dirk Rades1, Svenja Kopelke2,3, Soeren Tvilsted4
1Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany; dirk.rades@uksh.de.
Background/Aim:
A considerable number of patients with lung cancer are scheduled for definitive or adjuvant radiotherapy. Prevalence and potential risk factors of pre-radiotherapy sleep disturbances were evaluated.
Patients And Methods:
Nineteen factors were retrospectively investigated for associations with pre-radiotherapy sleep disturbances in 77 lung cancer patients. Factors included COVID-19 pandemic; age; gender; performance score; comorbidity index; history of another malignancy; distress score; number of emotional, physical or practical problems; patient's request for psychological support; histology; tumor stage; upfront surgery; chemotherapy; and type of radiotherapy.
Results:
Thirty-one patients (40.3%) reported sleep disturbances that were significantly associated with distress score 6-10 (p=0.019), ≥2 emotional problems (p=0.001), ≥5 physical problems (p<0.001), and request for psychological support (p=0.006). Trends were found for female gender (p=0.064) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (p=0.057).
Conclusion:
Many lung cancer patients assigned to radiotherapy reported sleep disturbances. Risk factors can be used to identify patients in need of psychological support already before treatment.
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