Study of factors related to quality of life in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Given the increasing concern about the physical, psychological, and social welfare of patients surgically treated for rectal cancer, we designed a study of the factors influencing quality of life in these patients.


METHODS
We prospectively analyzed factors related to quality of life in a cohort of patients using the Nottingham Health Profile and the EORTC questionnaire (QLQ-CR 38).


METHODS
A total of 116 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer surgically treated in our hospital from 1994 to 1999.


RESULTS
Quality of life scores for the various factors studied showed that quality of life was worse in women, in patients with tumors in the middle third of the rectum, and in patients undergoing low anterior resection.


CONCLUSIONS
Factors influencing quality of life in patients surgically treated for locally advanced rectal cancer included sex, tumor site, and surgical technique. Since only this latter factor is modifiable, we suggest that the surgical technique be individualized in persons with mid-lower and lower-third tumors of the rectum, bearing in mind that quality of life in amputated patients is, in many respects, better than that of patients with preserved sphincters.
Pérez Lara
F J
FJ
Servicio de Cirugía Digestiva, Hospital Regional Universitario Carlos Haya, Málaga, Spain. javinewyork@hotmail.es
Navarro Piñero
A
A
de la Fuente Perucho
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires