title: Quality of life in patients with malignant choroidal melanoma after radiotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patient-orientated endpoints have attracted little attention in patients with malignant choroidal melanoma. This study was conducted to explore the long-term effects of malignant choroidal melanoma and radiotherapy on QOL by means of a differentiated and modular QOL approach, including global QOL, social support, and mental health, in comparison with sociodemographically matched healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  A random sample of 100 outpatients treated by radiotherapy were asked by mail to take part in a psychodiagnostic study [instruments: Short-Form 36 Health-Survey (SF-36), Symptom Checklist-90-Revised, German Social Support Questionnaire]. The same instruments were applied to a healthy control group, which was matched to patients with regard to age, gender, and vocational situation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  93 patients (average age 61.2 years) responded at an average of 5.5 years (+/-3.7) after diagnosis. Visual acuity in the affected eye decreased considerably from diagnosis (0.49+/-0.30) to participation in the study (0.09+/-0.21). Compared with healthy controls, patients reported on average statistically significantly lower global QOL (SF-36), whereas social support and mental distress did not differ. Frequencies of clinically relevant mental distress were significantly higher in patients than in controls (35.5% vs. 16.1%). Mental distress was associated with poorer visual acuity, but not with the extent of loss of visual acuity or number of follow-up treatments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with choroidal melanoma suffer from low long-term global QOL, and every third patient suffers from relevant mental distress. Regular screening for mental distress should be implemented along with psychological counseling. Additional follow-up treatment does not seem to induce mental distress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reimer
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Esser
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fleiss
authors.forename: Aike
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hessel
authors.forename: Gerasimos
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Anastassiou
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krausz
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bornfeld
authors.forename: Gabriele Helga
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Franke
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D002830:Choroid Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000523:psychology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014792:Visual Acuity