Chinese Lynch syndrome-associated colorectal cancer patients' self-concept and adherence to surveillance

Abstract

Objective: To describe Chinese Lynch syndrome-associated colorectal cancer patients' self-concept and adherence to surveillance and explore the factors influencing patients' adherence to surveillance.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional quantitative study of a group of 83 Lynch syndrome-associated colorectal cancer patients, using the Lynch syndrome self-concept scale and medical records. IBM SPSS 20.0 was used for statistical analysis.

Results: Patients' adherence to surveillance, for colorectal cancer, gastric cancer and small intestinal cancer, endometrial and ovarian cancer, they were 93.2%, 41.8% and 56.7% respectively. Older patients had lower surveillance adherence of colorectal cancer, gastric cancer and small intestinal cancer than younger patients (p < 0.05). Occupation was the major factor influencing their surveillance adherence of endometrial and ovarian cancer (p < 0.05). The score for Lynch syndrome self-concept was 72.23 ± 25.65.

Conclusion: The surveillance adherence of patients is high for colorectal cancer but low for extracolorectal cancers. Low surveillance adherence is associated with old age, living with family members and less secure employment. Chinese patients' self-concept scores were slightly higher than foreign patients. Nurses should pay more attention to the surveillance adherence and self-concept of Lynch syndrome-associated colorectal cancer patients and develop effective interventions to improve their surveillance adherence.

Keywords: Lynch syndrome; Lynch syndrome self-concept; Lynch syndrome-associated colorectal cancer; adherence to surveillance.