Propaganda and Education Can Improve the Quality of Life of Patients With Urologic Cancer Before Surgery

Abstract

Background: Distributing propaganda materials is a way of doctor-patient communication. Our study aims to demonstrate its influence on patients' quality of life with newly diagnosed urologic cancer before surgery.Methods: Patients with urologic cancer were retrospectively enrolled from April 2020 to March 2021 in the Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. The propaganda materials were written and published by our center and distributed after admission. The quality of life was assessed by EORTC QLQ-C30 version 3.0 on the day of admission and after patients read the materials.Results: A total of 180 patients were included. Most of them were male and with renal cancer. Sleep disturbance (p=0.002), appetite loss (p=0.013), fatigue (p=0.002) and physical function (p=0.006) showed statistically significant improvement after the intervention. In subgroup analysis, the changes of sleep disturbance, fatigue and physical function remained significant among patients with renal cancer. Several items remained significant among younger patients(≤57 years old).Conclusions: Distributing proper propaganda materials could exert significant impacts among patients with urologic cancer. Patients with renal cancer and younger patients might be more likely to benefit from that.