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Quality of Life in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Andrea Alexander

    (Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital Düsseldorf and Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Stephen Fung

    (Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital Düsseldorf and Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Martin Eichler

    (Clinic and Polyclinic for Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany)

  • Nadja Lehwald-Tywuschik

    (Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital Düsseldorf and Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany)

  • Vasuki Uthayakumar

    (Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital Düsseldorf and Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany)

  • Sami-Alexander Safi

    (Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital Düsseldorf and Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany)

  • Christian Vay

    (Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital Düsseldorf and Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany)

  • Hany Ashmawy

    (Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital Düsseldorf and Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany)

  • Sinan Kalmuk

    (Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital Düsseldorf and Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany)

  • Alexander Rehders

    (Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital Düsseldorf and Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany)

  • Sascha Vaghiri

    (Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital Düsseldorf and Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany)

  • Wolfram Trudo Knoefel

    (Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital Düsseldorf and Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany)

Abstract

Background: Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) substantially affects cancer patients due to adverse outcomes and disruptions in cancer care. Recent studies have indicated the additional stress and anxiety burden arising from the pandemic and impairing quality of life in this vulnerable group of patients. However, patients with cancer represent a heterogenous group. Therefore, we conducted a study on patients with pancreatic cancer, requiring demanding surgical interventions and chemotherapy regimens due to its aggressive tumor biology, to explore the pandemic’s impact on quality of life within this homogenous cohort. Methods: In a descriptive observational study, the quality of life of patients who had undergone pancreatic surgery for tumor resection at our institution between 2014 and the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020 was assessed. For HRQoL measurement, we used the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), comparing their situation before the pandemic and since its beginning. An additional self-developed questionnaire was applied to assess the life circumstances during the pandemic. Results: Our cohort included 26 patients. Scores from the survey in HRQoL revealed no significant changes over time between before and during the pandemic. A medium deterioration in HRQoL was apparent in social functioning, as well as a small deterioration in role functioning and emotional functioning. Worries concerning a potential impact of COVID-19 on personal health were expressed. Psychological limitations in QoL were mainly attributed to the pandemic, whereas physical limitations in QoL were rather associated with the underlying disease of pancreatic cancer. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic is causing considerable social and emotional distress among pancreatic cancer patients. These patients will benefit from psychological support during the pandemic and beyond. Long-time survivors of pancreatic cancer, such as those included in our cohort, appear to have improved resilience facing the psychosocial challenges of the pandemic. For pancreatic cancer, surgical care is considered the cornerstone of treatment. Prolonged delays in healthcare cause serious damage to mental and physical health. To date, the longer-term clinical consequences are not known and can only be estimated. The potential tragic outcome for the vulnerable group of pancreatic cancer patients highlights the urgency of timely healthcare decisions to be addressed in the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrea Alexander & Stephen Fung & Martin Eichler & Nadja Lehwald-Tywuschik & Vasuki Uthayakumar & Sami-Alexander Safi & Christian Vay & Hany Ashmawy & Sinan Kalmuk & Alexander Rehders & Sascha Vaghiri, 2022. "Quality of Life in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-10, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:6:p:3731-:d:776044
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Cuiyan Wang & Riyu Pan & Xiaoyang Wan & Yilin Tan & Linkang Xu & Cyrus S. Ho & Roger C. Ho, 2020. "Immediate Psychological Responses and Associated Factors during the Initial Stage of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Epidemic among the General Population in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-25, March.
    2. Diana Frasquilho & Ricardo Matias & Jaime Grácio & Berta Sousa & Fernando Luís-Ferreira & João Leal & Fátima Cardoso & Albino J. Oliveira-Maia, 2021. "Protocol for the Implementation and Assessment of “MoodUP”: A Stepped Care Model Assisted by a Digital Platform to Accelerate Access to Mental Health Care for Cancer Patients Amid the COVID-19 Pandemi," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-11, April.
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