338. USING NEURO-LINGUISTIC PROGRAMMING TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF ESOPHAGEAL CANCER PATIENTS REQUIRING NEOADJUVANT THERAPY

Background

Esophageal cancer has a higher incidence and mortality rate than most malignancies. At present, radical esophagectomy remains the treatment of choice for esophageal cancer. However, a significant proportion of patients are in the middle or advanced stages when diagnosed and requiring preoperative treatment before surgical resection and lengthy postoperative adjuvant therapy after surgery. In this process, a considerable number of patients usually have a negative attitude towards treatment and psychological sub-health states or even disease states, leading to be unable to cooperate with treatment and unwell prognosis. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to evaluate the application of mind–body language program (NLP) to evaluate the psychological state of patients during treatment, and intervene in time, so as to improve the quality of life and prognosis of patients.

Methods

This was a single-center, prospective, randomized controlled trial (allocation rate = 1:1). It is proposed to enroll 40 potentially operable esophageal cancer patients requiring neoadjuvant therapy and divided into two groups: NLP and control. Inclusion criteria included different age groups, different neoadjuvant treatments, elective surgery, etc., and signed informed consent. Data from different groups of participants (pre-neoadjuvant therapy, preoperative, 1 week postoperative, and 1 month after discharge) were collected and recorded using the Quality of Life Scale (QCR-15) and the Fear-Anxiety Assessment Scale.

The primary endpoint of this study was to compare the difference in survival status between different experimental groups with or without NLP for psychological intervention.

Discussion

This trial will provide a basis for the significance of psychotherapy in the management of esophageal cancer and help to improve the guidance on non-physical and chemotherapy treatment in esophageal cancer guidelines.

Key words: Neuro-linguistic programming: Esophageal cancer: Preoperative treatment: Quality of Life.