title: Effect of lung cancer surgery on quality of life.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Health related quality of life (HRQOL) after surgery is important, although very limited data are available on the QOL after lung cancer surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effect of surgery on HRQOL was assessed in a prospective study of 110 patients undergoing potentially curative lung cancer surgery at Papworth Hospital, 30% of whom had borderline lung function as judged by forced expiratory volume in 1 second. All patients completed the EORTC QLQ-C30 and LC13 lung cancer module before surgery and again at 1, 3 and 6 months postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On average, patients had high levels of functioning and low levels of symptoms. Global QOL had deteriorated significantly 1 month after surgery (p = 0.001) but had returned to preoperative levels by 3 months (p = 0.93). Symptoms had worsened significantly at 1 month after surgery but had returned to baseline levels by 6 months. Low values on the preoperative HRQOL scales were not significantly associated with poor surgical outcome. However, patients with low preoperative HRQOL functioning scales and high preoperative symptom scores were more likely to have poor postoperative (6 months) QOL. The only lung function measurement to show a marginally statistically significant association with quality of life at 6 months after surgery was percentage predicted carbon monoxide transfer factor (Tlco).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although surgery had short term negative effects on quality of life, by 6 months HRQOL had returned to preoperative values. Patients with low HRQOL functioning scales, high preoperative symptom scores, and preoperative percentage predicted Tlco may be associated with worse postoperative HRQOL.
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Oncology Unit, Papworth Hospital, Papworth Everard, Cambridge CB3 8RE, UK. thida.win@papworth.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Win
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sharples
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ritchie
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Munday
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Laroche
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life
references.citation: Chest. 2000 Jun;117(6):1531-2
references.pmid: 10858375
references.citation: Clin Chest Med. 2000 Mar;21(1):107-20, ix
references.pmid: 10763093
references.citation: Lung Cancer. 2001 Feb-Mar;31(2-3):233-40
references.pmid: 11165402
references.citation: Ann Oncol. 2001;12 Suppl 3:S21-5
references.pmid: 11804379
references.citation: J Clin Oncol. 2002 Jul 1;20(13):2920-9
references.pmid: 12089220
references.citation: Chest. 2002 Jul;122(1):21-30
references.pmid: 12114334
references.citation: Qual Life Res. 2003 Mar;12(2):157-66
references.pmid: 12639062
references.citation: Ann Thorac Surg. 2003 Dec;76(6):1821-7
references.pmid: 14667591
references.citation: BMJ. 2004 Oct 30;329(7473):1008
references.pmid: 15385408
references.citation: Thorax. 1973 Sep;28(5):588-91
references.pmid: 4784380
references.citation: Br Heart J. 1990 Nov;64(5):313-6
references.pmid: 2245110
references.citation: Thorax. 1991 Sep;46(9):671-5
references.pmid: 1948799
references.citation: Thorax. 1992 Dec;47(12):1019-24
references.pmid: 1494764
references.citation: Chest. 1993 Jul;104(1):155-9
references.pmid: 8325061
references.citation: Chest. 1994 Jul;106(1):324-5
references.pmid: 8020311
references.citation: J Clin Epidemiol. 1994 Dec;47(12):1443-9
references.pmid: 7730853
references.citation: Curr Opin Oncol. 1995 Mar;7(2):138-43
references.pmid: 7756378
references.citation: Ann Thorac Surg. 1995 Nov;60(5):1522-5
references.pmid: 8526679
references.citation: Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 1996;10(4):233-7
references.pmid: 8740057
references.citation: J Gen Intern Med. 1997 Nov;12(11):686-97
references.pmid: 9383137
references.citation: Chest. 1998 Feb;113(2):467-81
references.pmid: 9498968
references.citation: Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2003;1:19
references.pmid: 12846929
references.citation: Ann Thorac Surg. 1999 Oct;68(4):1314-20
references.pmid: 10543499
references.citation: Chest. 2000 Jun;117(6):1551-9
references.pmid: 10858382