%0 Journal Article %T Symptoms in Advanced Cancer Patients in a Greek Hospital:a Descriptive Study %J Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention %I West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter. %Z 1513-7368 %A Lavdaniti, Maria %A Fradelos, Evangelos C %A Troxoutsou, Konstantina %A Zioga, Efrosini %A Mitsi, Dimitroula %A Alikari, Victoria %A Zyga, Sofia %D 2018 %\ 04/01/2018 %V 19 %N 4 %P 1047-1052 %! Symptoms in Advanced Cancer Patients in a Greek Hospital:a Descriptive Study %K End stage cancer symptoms %K palliative care %K symptoms management %K cancer patients %R 10.22034/APJCP.2018.19.4.1047 %X Background: Advanced cancer patients experience several physical or psychological symptoms which requirepalliative care for alleviation. Purpose: To assess the prevalence and intensity of symptoms among cancer patientsreceiving palliative care in a Greek hospital and to examine the association between reported symptoms and socialclinical and demographic characteristics. Material-methods: This descriptive research was conducted during a sixmonthperiod using a convenient sample of 123 advanced cancer patients. All participants were assessed for theirsymptoms using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) with a questionnaire covering demographicand clinical characteristics. Results: The mean age was 63.8± 10.8 years, with lung and breast (58.5% and 11.4%,respectively) as the most common primary cancer types. The most severe symptoms were fatigue, sleep disturbance,dyspnea, depression and anxiety. Negative correlations were revealed between age and the following symptoms: pain(r = -0.354, p = 0.001), fatigue (r = -0.280, p = 0.002), nausea (r = -0.178, p = 0.049), anorexia (r = -0.188, p = 0.038),dyspnea (r = -0.251, p = 0.005), and depression (r = -0.223, p = 0.013). Advanced breast cancer patients scored higherin pain, fatigue and dyspnea compared to those with other cancers. Conclusions: Hospitalized cancer patients in Greeceexperience several symptoms during the last months of their life. These are influenced by demographic characteristics.Appropriate interventions are strongly advised with appropriate recognition and evaluation of symptoms by healthprofessionals. %U https://journal.waocp.org/article_60588_1e5a62da4e5dc8a63f6c5c8b14af39cf.pdf