A Comparison of Symptoms, Functional Status and Quality of Life by the Survivor Stages of Pancreatic Cancer Patients

Abstract

Background/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify the difference of symptoms, functional
status and quality of life (QOL) according to the survival stage of pancreatic cancer patients.
Method/Statistical analysis: Descriptive, cross-sectional design. A sample of 139 patients was surveyed.
The participants were as patients who were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in Republic of Korea. The data
collected was analyzed with descriptive statistics.
Findings: Nausea and vomiting symptoms were significantly higher in acute survival stage than in extended
survival stage and insomnia and diarrhea were significantly higher in extended survival stage than in acute
survival stage functional status and QOL were significantly higher in extended survival stage than in acute
survival stage.
Improvements/Applications: The differences in symptoms, functional status and QOL by the survival
stage of pancreatic cancer patients were grasped and the empirical evidence was given for performing
differentiated nursing interventions by each survival stage.