Abstract
Aim: An increasing number of patients survive rectal cancer, resulting in more patients living with the side-effects of the treatment. Exploring quality of life before and after treatment enables follow-up and additional treatment to be adjusted to the patient's needs. The aim of the study was to describe the quality of life during the 24 months following diagnosis and to identify risk factors for poor quality of life. Method: This is a prospective cohort study of patients with rectal cancer followed up by extensive questionnaires. Patients from 16 surgical departments in Denmark and Sweden from 2012 to 2015 were included. The self-assessed quality of life was measured with a seven-point Likert scale. Results: A total of 1110 patients treated with curative intent were included, and the response rate at the 24-month follow-up was 71%. Patients with rectal cancer assessed their quality of life before start of treatment as poorer than that of a reference population. At the 12- and 24-month follow-up, the quality of life on group level had recovered to the same level as for the reference population. Risk factors for poor quality of life included bother with urinary, bowel and stoma function. A reference population was used for comparison. Conclusion: The quality of life of patients with resectable rectal cancer recovered to levels comparable to a reference population 12 and 24 months after diagnosis. Our results indicate that the urinary, bowel and stoma function has an impact on quality of life.
| Originalsprog | Engelsk |
|---|---|
| Tidsskrift | Colorectal Disease |
| Vol/bind | 22 |
| Udgave nummer | 12 |
| Sider (fra-til) | 2028-2037 |
| Antal sider | 10 |
| ISSN | 1462-8910 |
| DOI | |
| Status | Udgivet - 2020 |
Bibliografisk note
Funding Information:The study received funding from the Swedish Cancer Society, the Swedish Society of Medicine, the Health-care sub-committee of Region V?stra G?taland, ALF grant ?Agreement concerning research and education of doctors?, Anna-Lisa and Bror Bj?rnssons Foundation, the Assar Gabrielsson Foundation, Lion's Cancer Research Foundation of Western Sweden, Mary von Sydow Foundation, Ruth and Richard Julin's Foundation and the Gothenburg Medical Society. The authors gratefully acknowledge the work by the research nurses at the Scandinavian Surgical Outcomes Research Group (SSORG) and by all those involved in the recruitment of patients at participating hospitals: Sahlgrenska University Hospital/?stra, G?teborg; Skaraborg Hospital Sk?vde; NU Hospital Group, Trollh?ttan; Central Hospital of Karlstad; S?dra ?lvsborg Hospital, Bor?s; Karolinska University Hospital; ?rebro University Hospital; Sunderbyn Hospital; V?stmanland's Hospital V?ster?s, Blekinge Hospital, Karlskrona; Mora Hospital; Helsingborg Hospital; Hvidovre Hospital; Slagelse Hospital; Herlev Hospital and Roskilde Hospital.
Funding Information:
The study received funding from the Swedish Cancer Society, the Swedish Society of Medicine, the Health‐care sub‐committee of Region Västra Götaland, ALF grant ‘Agreement concerning research and education of doctors’, Anna‐Lisa and Bror Björnssons Foundation, the Assar Gabrielsson Foundation, Lion's Cancer Research Foundation of Western Sweden, Mary von Sydow Foundation, Ruth and Richard Julin's Foundation and the Gothenburg Medical Society.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 The Authors. Colorectal Disease published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland