Xing-Li Liu,1 Bao-Zhu Chen,1 Yun-Ying Lin,2 Zhi-Xian Chen,3 Qiao-Hua Zhu1 

1Department 1 of Oncology, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University (The First People’s Hospital of Shunde Foshan), Foshan, 528308, People’s Republic of China; 2Youth League Committee, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University (The First People’s Hospital of Shunde Foshan), Foshan, 528308, People’s Republic of China; 3Department 2 of Oncology, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University (The First People’s Hospital of Shunde Foshan), Foshan, 528308, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Qiao-Hua Zhu, Email had955@yeah.net

Objective: To evaluate the impact of a communication-based intervention program rooted in narrative medicine theory on the quality of nursing care and patient outcomes in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 98 nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients treated at our hospital between September 2022 and August 2024. Patients were divided into two groups based on historical nursing records: the control group (n=49) received routine standard nursing care, while the observation group (n=49) received routine care supplemented with a narrative medicine-based communication intervention. The intervention was conducted 1– 2 times per week over four consecutive weeks. Outcomes were assessed using the Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form (FoP-Q-SF), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Cancer Fatigue Scale (CFS), Herth Hope Index (HHI), Nursing Quality Evaluation Scale, and Communication Satisfaction Questionnaire, measured at baseline and post-intervention.
Results: Compared to controls, the observation group showed significantly reduced fear of progression (FoP-Q-SF: 33.53 vs 43.11), improved sleep (PSQI: 11.25 vs 15.41), lower cancer-related fatigue (CFS total: 28.23 vs 35.94), and higher hope levels (HHI: 33.45 vs 25.56) (all p < 0.001). Nursing quality and communication satisfaction also improved significantly across all domains (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: The communication-based intervention program based on narrative medicine significantly improves psychological well-being, sleep quality, cancer-related fatigue, hope level, and overall nursing quality in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy. This approach offers a feasible and effective model for enhancing holistic cancer care.

Keywords: narrative medicine, patient-nurse communication, nasopharyngeal cancer, psychological state