[The significance of assessment of quality of life as a cancer treatment].
Now that cancer treatments have advanced and people are surviving longer, considerations of patient QOL are becoming more important. QOL questionnaires are lists of questions taken from more than two domains. The questions are roughly divided into the "general scale" type, which asks people, patients or not, about their level of general QOL, and the "disease specific scale" type, which investigates the level of QOL focusing on the effects of the disease or treatments. Questionnaires of QOL specific to patients suffering from cancer has the former as core questions, with the latter added for type of cancer, treatments, and symptoms. Two questionnaires, EORTC QLQ and FACT, are most often used in clinical research, and Japanese versions are also available. When investigating the change in the level of the QOL with time, the disease specific scale, which better reflects changes due to the disease, is useful. Moreover, using a questionnaire that is easy to complete will minimize deficit values, and raise the accuracy of data. Use of sample questionnaires available on the Internet will be useful in preliminary surveys. Any medical treatment has a detrimental effect on patients' mind and body. We hope that the results of the QOL research are utilized as evidence in deciding which medical treatments to give patients.
Hinotsu
Atsuko
A
College of Medical Technology and Nursing.
Miyanaga
Naoto
N
Akaza
Hideyuki
H
D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards