Optimism as moderator of fatigue and quality of life of patients with breast and gynaecological cancer under and after oncological treatment

Introduction: The purpose of our research is to evaluate the impact of optimism on cancer-related fatigue and quality of life of patients with breast and gynaecological cancer.

Material and method: Three groups of patients (each of 50 women) with breast, uterus and cervical cancer were examined. They were 20 to 60 years old. They didn’t undergo for psychic disease before oncological treatment. The examined women filled 3 questionnaires: BFI (fatigue), QLQ-C30 (quality of life), LOT-R (optimism).

Results: The optimism of patients under oncological treatment diminishes their cancer-related fatigue and somatic side effects of treatment but doesn’t influence their psychosocial activities. The optimism of patients after oncological treatment improves their emotional, cognitive and social functioning and diminishes their somatic side effects of treatment.

Conclusions: The results of our research indicate dynamically chanching role of patients’ optimism. On one side this role depends on the stage of patients’ oncological treatment (early stage vs. finish). On the other side its role depends on patients’ functionning – body, mind or emotions.