Annals of Surgical Oncology Cite Track
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
10.1245/s10434-008-9923-0
Annals of Surgical Oncology 15:1846-1854 (2008)
© 2008 Society of Surgical Oncology
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Pucciarelli, S.
Right arrow Articles by Nitti, D.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Pucciarelli, S.
Right arrow Articles by Nitti, D.

Original Article

Health-Related Quality of Life Outcomes in Disease-Free Survivors of Mid-Low Rectal Cancer After Curative Surgery

Salvatore Pucciarelli, MD1, Paola Del Bianco, MSc2, Paola Toppan, MD1, Samantha Serpentini, MSc1, Fabio Efficace, MSc3, Lara Maria Pasetto, MD4, Maria Luisa Friso, MD5, Gian Luca De Salvo, MD2 and Donato Nitti, MD1

1 Department of Oncological and Surgical Sciences, Section of Clinica Chirurgica II, University of Padova, Policlinico, VI piano, Via Giustiniani, 2, 35128 Padova, Italy
2 Servizio Sperimentazioni Cliniche e Biostatistica, Istituto Oncologico Veneto—IRCCS, Padova, Italy
3 Italian Group for Adult Hematologic Diseases (GIMEMA) Data Center, Health Outcome Research Unit, Rome, Italy
4 Medical Oncology Department, Istituto Oncologico Veneto—IRCCS, Padova, Italy
5 Radiation Oncology Department, Istituto Oncologico Veneto—IRCCS, Padova, Italy

Correspondence: Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Salvatore Pucciarelli, MD; E-mail: puc{at}unipd.it

Background: The main objective of this study was to investigate health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in terms of symptoms and functional outcomes in disease-free survivors of rectal cancer.

Methods: Consecutive patients (n = 117) who underwent curative surgery for rectal cancer with a minimum of 2 years’ follow-up and whose disease had not recurred were asked to complete the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 and its colorectal cancer module (QLQ-CR38). Long-term HRQOL outcomes were compared with reference data from the general population. Relevant clinical data including type of surgery, stage of disease, type of treatment, and early and late complications were collected. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to investigate associations among covariates.

Results: HRQOL functional aspects were similar with that of an age- and sex-matched general population. Although clinically meaningful better outcomes favoring our patients were found for the global health status/HRQOL and the pain scales, constipation was worse in rectal cancer survivors than the general population. Multivariate analysis found that worse physical functioning was associated with increasing age (P < .001), female sex (P < .01), presence of stoma (P < .05), and occurrence of late major complications (P < .05). Worse body image was associated with the presence of stoma (P < .001) and chemoradiotherapy (P < .05).

Conclusion: Overall, patients with rectal cancer recover well in the long run, with HRQOL levels comparable to that of the general population. HRQOL outcomes provide valuable data that may be used to improve information disclosure to patients.

Key Words: Health related quality of life • Rectal cancer • Outcome






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2008 by the Society of Surgical Oncology.