Comfort and Anxiety Levels of Women with Early Stage Breast Cancer Who Receive Radiotherapy

Background: The aim of this planned research was to determine the comfort and anxiety levels of women withbreast cancer receiving radiotherapy. Materials and
Methods: This descriptive type study covered patients thatapplied to the radiation oncology breast polyclinic of our university hospital between January and May 2011.Patient Identification Form, Radiation Therapy Comfort Questionnaire (RTCQ), Spielberger State Trait AnxietyInventory (STAI) were completed and analysed.
Results: The mean age of the women who participated in thestudy was 51.6±10.4 years. Mean scores of women were 3.73±0.31 for RTCQ, 29.1±5.88 for SAI and 37.8±6.91for TAI. While the comfort levels of the women with breast cancer receiving radiotherapy were moderate, theyexperienced only low levels of anxiety.
Conclusions: By determining the comfort level of the patient beforeradiotherapy, besides providing comfort in this direction, eliminating/minimizing anxiety and stress will positivelyaffect radiotherapy application. More attention of nurses to this issue is to be recommended.