Effect of adding individualized health education for patients with brain metastasis of lung cancer undergoing radiotherapy, as measured by MRI and cognitive testing.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the clinical efficacy of individualized health education (IHE) and care mode based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) combined with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for lung cancer patients with brain metastases undergoing radiotherapy.

METHODS

This retrospective study involved 50 lung cancer patients with brain metastases. Patients were divided into a control group (n=25, conventional care) and an intervention group (n=25, individualized health education (IHE) care) according to their nursing model. Both groups underwent enhanced brain MRI scans. The patients were assessed using the Mini Mental State Scale (MMSE) before and at 1 month after radiotherapy. At the same time, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was used to assess the degree of cognitive impairment in both groups before and after the intervention. Finally, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC QLQ-C30) questionnaire was used to evaluate the overall health status and quality of life (QOL) (including physical function, emotional function, and social function) of the two groups of patients after radiotherapy. The patients' self-care ability in daily life was assessed using Alzheimer's Disease Collaborative Study Activities of Daily Living (ADCS-ADL).

RESULTS

Following intervention, there was no significant difference in MMSE total scores between the control and intervention groups ( > 0.05), or in physical function scores ( > 0.05). However, the intervention group had significantly higher overall QOL scores compared to the control group ( < 0.05), particularly in emotional and social function ( < 0.05). There was no significant difference in total MoCA scores between the two groups ( > 0.05), but the intervention group showed superior scores in visual-spatial, executive function, naming, and attention compared to the control group (all < 0.05). Following intervention, the intervention group demonstrated better ADCS-ADL scores than the control group ( < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The IHE mode effectively improved emotional and social functions and enhanced QOL in lung cancer patients with brain metastases undergoing radiotherapy.