저용량 방사성옥소치료를 받는 갑상선암 환자의 피로와 삶의 질 및 관련 요인

Fatigue and QOL in thyroid cancer patients receiving low radioiodine therapy

Purpose: This study was performed to identify fatigue and quality of life(QOL) in thyroid cancer patients receiving low radioiodine therapy. Methods: The subjects were 100 patients from an university hospital. Data were collected three times, the first at the time before the start of the therapy, the second before oral intake of low dose radioactive iodine, and the third after all therapy. Two scales were used to measure fatigue and QOL in the subjects. Results: The fatigue increased and the QOL decreased significantly according to the number of the therapy increased. Some characteristics predicted the fatigue and QOL at the 2nd time of the therapy, while none affecting them at the 3rd time. The fatigue at the 1st time of the therapy, decrease in weight and QOL from the 2nd time of the therapy predicted 41.5% of the fatigue at the 3rd time of the therapy. The fatigue and QOL at the 1st therapy and educational level predicted 39.4% of the QOL at the 3rd therapy. Conclusion: The fatigue increased and the QOL decreased during the period of the low radioiodine therapy in the subjects, and the situation was getting severe as the number of the therapy increased.