ABSTRACT
AIM: To identify the associated factors of hope therapy during treatment in cancer patients. BACKGROUND: Hope is very important to cancer patients at all stages of the disease process. Several and different factors are associated with hope. DESIGN: A systematic literature review of quantitative empirical studies on hope and quality of life in cancer patients. DATA SOURCES: Search in MEDLINE, Psychinfo, and Cochrane (January 2010-December 2020). REVIEW METHODS: A coherent search strategy was designed where MESH terms were combined with "free text" terms: hope (e.g., hope therapy, Herth Hope Index, quality of life) and cancer (e.g. neoplasm, tumor). Two authors independently screened all the studies and assessed their quality. RESULTS: Twenty studies were included. The overall score of Herth Hope Index in cancer patients was 36.93, and the overall score of quality of life in cancer patients were 47.52. Also, the trend of quality of life and Herth Hope Index in cancer patients has been decreasing, from 2010 to 2020. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic literature review of associated factors of hope in cancer patients receiving treatment shows that hope seems to be positively related mainly by intrinsic factors, such as perceived health, quality of life, and social support.
