Patients' attitudes to totally implantable venous access port systems for gynecological or breast malignancies

Abstract

Aims: The aim of this study was to analyze patients' port-related quality of life.

Patients and methods: 260 consecutive patients with gynecological or breast malignancies were asked to take part in a questionnaire-based survey including 26 questions, and 232 women agreed to participate in the study. The questionnaire inquired about port-related aspects of everyday life and the use of a central venous access port device for chemotherapy and supportive cancer care. Multivariate analysis was used to identify parameters associated with satisfaction and dissatisfaction in relation to the port.

Results: Most of the women were very satisfied with the use of a port to provide venous access for chemotherapy and supportive cancer care. Faster hospital procedures, good cosmetic results, and the ability to cope with the social environment had a significant influence on the degree of satisfaction. Fear of port punctures, inconvenient heparinization of the port, and fear of complications were found to be negative variables associated with the method.

Conclusions: Port catheters are well accepted by patients for chemotherapy and supportive cancer care. Generally ports should be rapidly removed after the end of antineoplastic treatment in order to improve patients' satisfaction with the procedure.