Evaluation of Supportive Care Needs and Coping Attitudes of Breast Cancer Patients According to Neuropathic Pain Status: A Case Control Study

OBJECTIVE This study was conducted to evaluate the supportive care needs and coping attitudes of breast cancer patients according to their neuropathic pain status. METHODS This case-control study design was conducted with 212 patients who were being treated in the daily chemotherapy unit of a hospital in Istanbul, who agreed to participate in the study and met the inclusion criteria. The S-LANSS pain scale was used to determine the neuropathic pain status of the patients. A Descriptive Information Form, Supportive Care Needs Scale, and Coping Attitudes Scale were used to collect the data. RESULTS The study sample consisted of case group patients with neuropathic pain (n=100) and control group patients without neuropathic pain (n=112). The mean age of the participants was 50 (45-54) in the case group and 49 (45-57) in the control group. In the case group, 24.5% used paclitaxel chemotherapy, and 40.6% had no knowledge about neuropathic pain. In the control group, 21.7% used paclitaxel chemotherapy, and 46.2% had no knowledge about neuropathic pain. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of total scores and sub -dimensions of the Supportive Care Needs Scale and total scores and sub -dimensions of the Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced scale. CONCLUSION Coping attitudes and supportive care needs of patients do not change according to the presence of neuropathic pain. Nearly half of the patients receiving neurotoxic chemotherapy, which frequently causes neuropathic pain, have no knowledge about neuropathic pain.