This study was to explore the change in purpose in life (PIL) and symptom distress among cancer patients with radiotherapy and associated risk factors. This was a longitudinal study.160 patients were recruited from a medical center in Southern Taiwan. Surveys were conducted one week before and one week after the patients had radiotherapy by questionnaire. Multivariate regression analysis were performed to analyze the data. The patients had significant changes in PIL after radiotherapy compared to before. They had low PIL scores when they were at stage IV, were unable to receive surgery, had tumors in sites other than the abdominal cavity and pelvic, or had high scores in symptom distress scale. Our findings empirically demonstrated that the sense of meaning is integrally associated with the physical and psychosocial effects of illness. Given that cancer patients who are at an advanced stage, unable to receive surgery and have tumors at sites that are not the abdominal cavity and pelvis are at a high risk for having low PIL after RT, care services should be directed to the patients under these conditions.
Keywords: Cancer; purpose in Life; radiotherapy; risk Factors; symptom distress.