Physical side effects and quality of life during postoperative radiotherapy for uterine cancer. Prospective evaluation by a diary card.
OBJECTIVE
Adjuvant pelvic radiotherapy (XRT) after radical surgery for uterine cancer may cause various (mainly gastrointestinal) side effects capable of affecting a patient's lifestyle. This prospective study used a diary card to evaluate toxicity and daily quality of life changes in uterine cancer patients given postoperative pelvic radiotherapy.


METHODS
The self-completed diary card listed 12 items concerning lifestyle changes and side effects. The patients were stratified by age (</=65 vs >65 years).


RESULTS
Twenty-five patients were evaluable, and a total of 848 days were assessed (82.6% of the 1027 days of XRT). The mean number of daily stools progressively increased during treatment (P < 0.01). No statistically significant differences were observed in terms of nausea or pain. There was a significant decrease in appetite (P < 0.01). Vaginal symptom scores did not significantly change during treatment, and no significant differences were found in terms of anxiety, daily activities, or compliance to therapy. The subjective perception of overall well-being and the quality of life score progressively and significantly decreased over time (P < 0.01). The younger patients had significantly more bowel movements, less appetite, more pain and vaginal burning, less vaginal bleeding, more anxiety, a greater reduction in daily activities and therapeutic compliance, a poorer subjective perception of overall well-being, and a lower quality of life score.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of a diary card may be an adequate means of detecting the extent of treatment-related changes in the lifestyle of uterine cancer patients receiving postoperative radiotherapy.
Caffo
Orazio
O
Department of Medical Oncology, St. Chiara Hospital, 38100, Trento, Italy. affo@tn.apss.tn.it
Amichetti
Maurizio
M
Mussari
Salvatore
S
Romano
Mario
M
Maluta
Sergio
S
Tomio
Luigi
L
Galligioni
Enzo
E
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000209:etiology; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery