[Experimental prospective cognitive study on the evaluation of connection of fatigue perception and depression among caregivers and team treating cancer patients receiving oral chemotherapy to systemic chemotherapy. Equi-Car 10 study]

Abstract

Objective: The Equi-Car 10 is an spontaneous, observational study. The objective was to assess the connection of fatigue perception and depression of caregivers, oncological team and oncological patients in oral chemotherapy to intravenous

Method: The study recruited 60 patients and 60 caregivers. The study was carried out on patients with lung, breast and colon cancer requiring chemotherapy, and family members were chosen as caregivers. Patients, caregivers and doctors filled in FACT-F and Zung questionnaires at the opening day of the medical record, after three and six cycles of chemotherapy, and three months after the end of the treatment.

Results: The Zung depression and Functional Assessment of Cancer therapy-Fatigue (FACT-F) showed: (a) on patients treated with intravenous therapy showed significantly higher levels of fatigue and depression than those of patients treated with oral therapy, even when the latter were treated for advanced disease; (b) on caregivers of patients treated with systemically administered therapies showed elevated levels of Fatigue and depression which proved to be significantly higher than those of caregivers of patients treated with oral therapies, even when treated for advanced disease; (c) on three oncologist has highlighted low levels of Fatigue and depression, for both types of patients, higher for patients with systemic therapy related to the management of side effects.

Conclusions: The results showed that cancer patients and caregivers have high levels of fatigue and depression both related to the disease stage and to the mode of drug administration. It is necessary to provide cancer patients and caregivers with appropriate psychological support and preventive programs for secondary and relapse prevention.