Quality of life among patients with hematological cancer in a Malaysian hospital.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of symptoms and problems in hospitalized hematological cancer patients. A cross-sectional design was carried out with 105 respondents in Ampang hospital in Kuala Lumpur. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality Of Life questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) was used. Patients with a minimum response of "a little" were defined as having a symptom/problem while patients with a response of "quite a bit" were classified as having a "severe symptom/problem". The four most prevalent symptoms/problems identified were fatigue, financial difficulties, reduced role function and reduced social function. Multiple myeloma patients (MM) were identified as having the most symptoms/problems.

Coping styles in patients with haematological cancer in a Malaysian hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To assess coping styles of haematological cancer patients and investigate factors (major depressive disorders, socio-demographic profiles and clinical factors) that influence them. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Ampang Hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which is a tertiary referral centre for haematological diseases. In all, 105 patients with haematological cancer were assessed using the Brief COPE questionnaire to examine the coping styles of patients, and the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview to assess major depressive disorder. RESULTS: The response rate was 83%. The coping strategies used by haematological cancer patients in descending order of frequency were: behavioural disengagement, active coping, denial, venting, self-distraction, substance use, acceptance, humour, use of emotional support, use of instrumental support, religion, positive reframing, planning, and self-blame. The coping styles were found to be associated with major depressive disorder, socio-demographic profiles, and clinical factors. Self-distraction and positive reframing coping styles were significant predictors and related to major depressive disorder. CONCLUSION: The early identification of poor coping styles in cancer patients is important, in order to enhance their survival and prevent relapses.

Recurrent lung cavities and endobronchial nodules in an adolescent male.

Multiple lung cavitations and endobronchial nodules are rare presentations of newly diagnosed and recurrent Hodgkin's disease. The clinical and radiological features can be confused with pulmonary tuberculosis, which can be difficult to exclude in endemic areas. However, the presence of endobronchial nodules point, towards Hodgkin's disease. Differential diagnosis is aided by the fact that these lesions usually respond promptly to specific therapy. We present a case of an adolescent male who had constitutional and pulmonary symptoms associated with pulmonary cavities and endobronchial nodules subsequently confirmed to be Hodgkin's disease.