The Impact of Loneliness and Cancer Diagnosis on Cognitive Impairment in Geriatric Patients
Received Date : 16 Oct 2019
Accepted Date : 15 Apr 2020
Available Online : 24 Jun 2020
Ali ALKANa, Hande Selvi ÖZTORUNb, Ebru KARCIc, Yüksel ÜRÜNc, Gülseren TUNCAYd, Arzu YAŞARc, Esat ÇINARb, Sevgi ARASb, Murat VARLIb, Güngör UTKANc, Ahmet DEMİRKAZIKc, Hakan AKBULUTc, Filiz ÇAY ŞENLERc
aMuğla Sıtkı Koçman University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Muğla, TURKEY
bAnkara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, Ankara, TURKEY
cAnkara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Ankara TURKEY
dAnkara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Ankara TURKEY
Doi: 10.37047/jos.2019-71889 - Article's Language: EN
J Oncol Sci.2020;6(2):65-70
ABSTRACT
Objective: The evaluation of cognitive functioning is important for assessing the health of a geriatric individual. In recent
years, there has been a progressive increase in the number of geriatric cancer patients. Loneliness, which is common among geriatrics, is an
emotional experience that results from unmet personal or social requirements. The association between loneliness and cognitive dysfunction
in elderly patients has been well-documented in the past. However, similar research has not been conducted so far in elderly cancer patients.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of loneliness and cancer diagnosis on cognitive impairment in geriatric patients. Material
and Methods: Elderly patients of 65 years or older were admitted to the outpatient clinics in the Department of Geriatrics and the Department
of Medical Oncology for evaluation. The patients were evaluated using structured questionnaires that consisted of sociodemographic
and clinical characteristics. In addition, the patients were tested with the UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS) and the Standardized Mini-Mental
State Examination (SMMSE). Results: A total of 334 geriatric patients (214 patients diagnosed with cancer, and 120 healthy/normal patients
without cancer) were evaluated. Scores of ULS and SMMSE were higher in normal patients. The results of ULS and SMMSE showed a negative
correlation between loneliness and cognitive functioning (r=-0.185, p=<0.001). In the multivariate analysis, neither cancer diagnosis nor
loneliness was associated with cognitive impairment. Conclusion: Cancer diagnosis and loneliness were not found to be associated with cognitive
impairment. The topic needs to be further studied in specific homogenous groups.
Keywords: Loneliness; cognitive dysfunction; cancer; geriatric; geriatrics