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Influence of uveal melanoma therapy on patients' quality of life: a psychological study
Article first published online: 16 DEC 2003
DOI: 10.1046/j.1600-0420.2003.0210.x
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How to Cite
Chabert, S., Velikay-Parel, M. and Zehetmayer, M. (2004), Influence of uveal melanoma therapy on patients' quality of life: a psychological study. Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica, 82: 25–31. doi: 10.1046/j.1600-0420.2003.0210.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 16 DEC 2003
- Article first published online: 16 DEC 2003
- Received on January 10th, 2003.; Accepted on September 13th, 2003.
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Keywords:
- quality of life;
- uveal melanoma;
- anxiety;
- depression;
- psychological study
Abstract.
Purpose: The objective of this study was to describe the quality of life of 98 patients treated with brachytherapy or stereotactic external beam irradiation, either with the Leksell Gamma Knife® or a 6-MV LINAC.
Methods: The EORTC QLQ-C30 and the EORTC QLQ-OPT37 psychological questionnaires and the HADS-D scale were used. Two visual analogue scales (VASs) were applied to compare overall quality of life before and after treatment.
Results: The results revealed no significant differences in quality of life (p = 0.215) among treatments with different methods of radiotherapy. Comparison of quality of life before and after therapy did, however, indicate a decrease in quality following radiotherapy. The average binocular visual acuity (VA) was 0.8 (range 0.3−1). Complications arising from the treatment included a reduction in VA in the affected eye, keratitis, cataract, scleral and corneal necrosis, radiation retinopathy, radiation optic neuropathy, retinal detachment and glaucoma.
Conclusion: Due to the diagnosis revealed and the subsequent radiotherapy, patients with uveal melanoma experienced a reduced quality of life. However, compared to patients with other types of cancer, they seemed to feel relatively well and showed fewer signs of deterioration.