[Quality of life of patients after radical surgery of bladder cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the impact of surgery for bladder cancer on the patient's quality of life.


METHODS
The SF-36 questionnaire was utilized to assess the quality of life of 53 cystectomized patients. Sociodemographic data, associated and surgery-related morbidity, type of urinary diversion, anatomopathological stage and current oncological status were analyzed.


RESULTS
Patient mean age was 64.3 years. There were 46 males (86.8%), 33 (62.3%) had no schooling, 32 (68.1%) were social class IV and 35 (66.0%) had chronic associated conditions. External urinary diversion had been performed in 28 (52.8%) and bladder substitution in 21 (39.6%) patients. The early complication rate was 37.7% (n = 20) and the late complication rate was 86.8% (n = 46). Tumor stage was < or = pT2 in 28 cases (52.8%). Age correlated inversely with Physical Performance (r = -0.324; p = 0.018). Patients with chronic conditions had a lower score for Physical Performance, Vitality and SFI. Patients with tumor stage < or = pT2 scored higher for Physical Performance (p = 0.034), Vitality (p = 0.046), Mental Health (p = 0.036), Emotional Role (p < 0.05) and MSI (p < 0.05). Those with postoperative complications had a worse score for Physical Performance (p = 0.031), Vitality (p = 0.027), Emotional Role (p = 0.014), Mental Health (p = 0.012) and MSI (p = 0.015). The SF-36 showed no differences between the types of urinary diversion except that patients that had undergone orthotopic bladder substitution had a higher score for Physical Performance (p = 0.014) and FSI (p = 0.045).


CONCLUSIONS
Although the quality of life of cystectomized patients is worse than that of the general population, it is better in younger patients without chronic associated conditions, no postoperative complications, lower tumor stage and those submitted to orthotopic bladder substitution.
Salinas Sánchez
A S
AS
Servicio de Urología, Complejo Hospitalario y Universitario de Albacete, Albacete, España. asalinas@pulso.com
Segura Martín
M
M
Lorenzo Romero
J G
JG
Hernández Millán
I
I
Fernández Olano
C
C
Virseda Rodríguez
J A
JA
D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*