METHODS
This case-control study design was conducted with 212 patients who were being treated in the daily
chemotherapy unit of a hospital in İstanbul, who agreed to participate in the study and met the inclusion
criteria. The S-LANSS pain scale was used to determine the neuropathic pain status of the patients. A
Descriptive Information Form, Supportive Care Needs Scale, and Coping Attitudes Scale were used to
collect the data.
RESULTS
The study sample consisted of case group patients with neuropathic pain (n=100) and control group
patients without neuropathic pain (n=112). The mean age of the participants was 50 (45-54) in the case
group and 49 (45-57) in the control group. In the case group, 24.5% used paclitaxel chemotherapy, and
40.6% had no knowledge about neuropathic pain. In the control group, 21.7% used paclitaxel chemotherapy,
and 46.2% had no knowledge about neuropathic pain. There was no statistically significant
difference between the groups in terms of total scores and sub-dimensions of the Supportive Care Needs
Scale and total scores and sub-dimensions of the Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced scale.
CONCLUSION
Coping attitudes and supportive care needs of patients do not change according to the presence of neuropathic
pain. Nearly half of the patients receiving neurotoxic chemotherapy, which frequently causes
neuropathic pain, have no knowledge about neuropathic pain.
Keywords: Breast cancer; cancer; care; coping; needs; neuropathy; pain
Chemotherapy-associated peripheral neuropathy
or chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy
(CIPN) is a frequently encountered symptom in individuals
treated with taxane and platinum compounds,
vinca alkaloids, antiangiogenesis agents, and proteasome
inhibitors.[
According to the literature, it has been reported that
cancer patients" supportive care needs in psychological
and physical areas are not met.[
In the literature, there are studies on CPPN, quality
of life, and coping methods,[
Hypotheses of the Study
H1: The supportive care needs of breast cancer patients
vary according to their neuropathic pain status.
H2: The coping attitude levels of breast cancer patients
vary according to their neuropathic pain status.
Population and Sample of the Study
The population of the study consisted of patients who
were being treated in the daily chemotherapy service of
a hospital in Istanbul between December 1, 2022, and
July 1, 2023. The sample of the study consisted of 212
patients who met the inclusion criteria from the study
population. Patients were divided into case (n=100)
and control (n=112) groups according to the presence
of neuropathic pain.
Inclusion Criteria
Case Group
• Receiving taxane group chemotherapy,
• Scores of 12 or more on the S-LANSS pain scale,
• At least one course of chemotherapy,
• Patients who are conscious and able to answer
questions.
Control Group
• Receiving taxane group chemotherapy,
• Score below 12 on the S-LANSS pain scale,
• At least one course of chemotherapy,
• Patients who are conscious and able to answer
questions.
Exclusion Criteria
• Patients under 18 years of age,
• Diagnosis of bone metastases and diabetes,
• Receiving any treatment other than taxane group
chemotherapy,
• Completion of taxane group chemotherapy.
Limitations of the Study
The results obtained from the study include voluntary
patients who received chemotherapy at a specified institution
in Istanbul and within a certain time interval
and met the inclusion criteria. These results cannot be
generalized to all patients receiving chemotherapy.
Data Collection
Before starting the study, patients were informed about
the purpose and method of the study and asked whether
they were willing to participate. Written informed consent
was obtained from those who volunteered to participate.
The Descriptive Information Form, S-LANSS
(Self-Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and
Signs) Neuropathic Pain Scale, Supportive Care Needs
Scale Short Form (DeBGÖ-KFTr), and Coping Attitudes
Scale (COPE) were used to collect data.
The questionnaires were administered in a quiet room in the daytime chemotherapy unit using a faceto- face interview technique, with patients completing the forms in approximately 20 minutes. Patients with a score of 12 and above on the S-LANSS pain scale were assigned to the case group, and those with a score below 12 were assigned to the control group.
Descriptive Information Form
S-LANSS Pain Scale
Supportive Care Needs Scale Short Form
(DeBGÖ-KFTr)
COPE - The Coping Orientations to Problems
Experienced Scale
1. Positive reinterpretation and growth,
Statistical Analysis
Ethical Dimension
It includes questions about the patient's age, marital
status, education, employment status, income level,
presence and type of chronic disease, smoking and alcohol use, chemotherapy protocol, cycle, neuropathy
symptoms, information about CPPN, and perception
of social support.[
It is used to distinguish between neuropathic and nociceptive
pain. It was developed by Bennett et al.[
This scale, developed by Boyes et al.,[
Developed by Carver and Scheier (1989), the COPE
inventory (The Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced
Scale) evaluates coping attitudes used when
faced with difficult events in daily life.[
2. Mental disengagement,
3. Focus on and venting of emotions,
4. Use of instrumental social support,
5. Active coping,
6. Denial,
7. Religious coping,
8. Humor,
9. Behavioral disengagement,
10. Restraint,
11. Use of emotional social support,
12. Substance use,
13. Acceptance,
14. Suppression of competing activities,
15. Planning.
The Cronbach's alpha value of the scale is 0.94.[
Data from the study were analyzed using IBM SPSS
(Statistical Package for Social Science) Statistics
25.0. Summary statistics for quantitative variables
were presented as frequency and percentage. The
Kolmogorov-Smirnov test assessed data normality.
The independent samples t-test was used for group
comparisons with normal distribution, and the
Mann-Whitney U test was used for group comparisons
without normal distribution. The chi-square test
(chi-square test with Yates Correction, Pearson's exact
chi-square test) evaluated relationships between categorical
variables. Significance was set at p<0.05 in
the statistical evaluation.[
Permission was obtained from the university's clinical
research ethics committee and subsequently from
the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Health. The informed
consent form was explained to participating
individuals, and their permission was obtained. Patients
were informed that they could withdraw from
the study at any time without giving a reason.
Among the patients in the case group, 31.1% had
no chronic disease, 24.5% used taxane group chemotherapy,
and 40.6% were unaware of neuropathic
pain; in the control group, 34.9% had no chronic disease, 21.7% used taxane group chemotherapy,
and 46.2% were unaware of neuropathic pain (Table
Table
CIPN leads to increased care needs in patients
and a decrease in quality of life.[
There are no studies in the literature that examine
the effect of neuropathic pain on coping attitudes.
Studies indicate that patients" attitudes towards coping
with cancer are related to how they perceive the
disease[
In this direction, it is recommended that followup studies be conducted on patients" care needs and coping attitudes of patients with cancer within the scope of the mechanism of action and risk factors of neuropathic pain in patients diagnosed with cancer; the studies should be planned by considering the factors affecting neuropathic pain, care needs, and coping attitudes. Furthermore, it is recommended that tools to assess neuropathic pain should be routinely used in clinical practice, and individualized holistic care should be provided by considering the supportive care needs and coping attitudes of patients.
Ethics Committee Approval: The study was approved by the İstanbul Gedik University Ethics Committee (no: 2022/3, date: 28/02/2022).
Authorship contributions: Concept -A.Ö., T.E.; Design - A.Ö., T.E.; Supervision - A.Ö.; Funding - T.E.; Data collection and/or processing - T.E.; Data analysis and/or interpretation - A.Ö., T.E.; Literature search - A.Ö., T.E.; Writing - A.Ö., T.E.; Critical review - A.Ö.
Conflict of Interest: All authors declared no conflict of interest. Use of AI for Writing Assistance: Not declared.
Financial Support: None declared.
Peer-review: Externally peer-reviewed.