Effects of Chemotherapy in Lung Cancer on Sleep and Quality of Life

Objectives: Cancer affecs the qualiy of life of the patients. Sleeping disorders are seen more commonly in cancer patients. In our study, we researched effects of chemotherapy on sleep and quality of life in lung cancer patients.
 

Methods: Sleep quality of the patients was measured by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and quality of life was measured by EORTC QLQ-C30 questionairre twice; before chemotherapy and after three treatments of chemotherapy. Correlation between treatment response with sleep and quality of life was investigated.
 

Results: Of 19 patients, 3 were female (15.8%) and 16 were female (84.2%). Median age was 62.29 (±7.3). Adenocarcinoma was the most common diagnosis (42.1%). 11 patients had cancer regression (57.9%), 4 patients had cancer progression (21.1%) and 4 patients were stable (21.1%). The patients whom had good sleep quality had better quality of life, physical function, emotional function, social function and general function scores. These patients had less financial difficulty, pain and weariness. PSQI score were higher significantly after chemotherapy (p<0.001). Chemotherapy had statistically no effect on sleep quality when patients were classified as who had good and bad quality of sleep. Response to chemotherapy and PSQI scores had no statistically significant correlation (p=0.335). Improved quality of life determined after chemotherapy (p=0.014). Emotional (p=0.038) and social function (p=0.021) was degradated. Chemoterapy had positive effect on pain (p=0.011), but nausea and emesis (p=0.001) and weariness (p=0.016) were more common after chemotherapy.
 

Conclusion: Between chemotherapy and quality of sleep scores there was a statistically significant correlation, however; no significant correlation was determined between the groups who had good and bad quality of sleep and due to the lack of patients in good quality of sleep group. Quality of life parameters had significant changes after chemotherapy but between quality of life parameters and response to therapy there was no significant correlation.