Fewer Feedback Opportunities and Health Perception of Gastric Cancer Survivors: Opportunities for Patient Education

This study aimed to estimate the impact of having fewer opportunities for patient education on health perception of gastric cancer survivors by examining quality-of-life (QoL) responses from patients who had been away for chemotherapy for a year. The full-surveillance (FullSV) group was comprised of gastric cancer survivors with stage I cancer who completed preoperative and postoperative 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month surveillances. The returning (RTN) group was comprised of 1-year survivors of stage II cancer who had been away for chemotherapy for a year. Surveillance periods were utilized to provide patient education about expected postoperative weight changes. The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL questionnaires were used to assess QoL. The study included a total of 278 patients (243 in the FullSV group and 35 in the RTN group). The baseline QoL was not significantly different between the groups. Significant differences in postoperative QoL were revealed by some scales (global health status/QoL, physical functioning, fatigue, financial difficulties, anxiety, dry mouth, and body image), all in favor of the FullSV group. Despite no significant difference in their actual weight changes, stronger weight dissatisfaction was revealed among the RTN group. Patients with fewer educational inputs for postoperative adjustment of weight perception were the ones with stronger dissatisfaction about current weight. The health perception of cancer survivors is under the constant influence of clinician feedback during patient education. For the best cancer survivorship care, sufficient opportunities for adjustment of health perception through patient education need to be ensured.