P11.10.A BEYOND BIOLOGY - PSYCHOLOGICAL PREDICTORS OF QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH BRAIN METASTASES BEFORE RADIOTHERAPY

Abstract BACKGROUND With the rising incidence of brain metastases (BMs) and extended survival due to improved oncological treatments, preserving quality of life (QoL) has become a central goal in cancer care. QoL is influenced not only by physical health but also by psychological factors, including personality traits and coping styles. This study examined whether personality and coping predict QoL in patients with BMs prior to radiotherapy, and whether coping mediates these relationships. MATERIALS AND METHODS Personality was assessed using the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (neuroticism, extraversion), and coping was measured with the Utrecht Coping List (UCL-90), categorized into engagement (i.e. actively approaching stressor) and disengagement coping (i.e. orienting away from stressor). QoL was evaluated using the EORTC QLQ-C30 summary score (overall QoL) and the EQ-VAS (health-related QoL, HRQoL). Mediation analyses were conducted using Model 4 of the PROCESS macro for SPSS, with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. RESULTS 170 patients (79 females; age 32-82) referred for radiotherapy were included. Higher neuroticism and lower extraversion were significantly associated with more disengagement coping (p<.001 and p=.013, respectively), which in turn was linked to poorer overall QoL (both p≤.001). Mediation analyses showed that disengagement coping, but not engagement coping, significantly mediated the relationship between both traits and overall QoL. However, neither personality traits nor coping showed significant direct or indirect effects on HRQoL in the mediation analyses. CONCLUSION This study highlights the importance of psychological characteristics—particularly neuroticism, extraversion, and disengagement coping—in understanding variations in QoL among patients with BMs prior to radiotherapy. Disengagement coping emerged as a key psychological factor linking personality traits to perceived overall QoL. The results support integrating early psychological screening to identify at-risk profiles and tailor psychosocial interventions, potentially enhancing treatment readiness, resilience, and outcomes in this vulnerable population.