Quality of life 2 years after salvage cryosurgery for the treatment of local recurrence of prostate cancer after radiotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
Previous research has raised concerns that although salvage cryosurgery may be an effective treatment to prevent the progression of prostate cancer after radiotherapy failure, the quality of life cost many be so severe as to prevent its acceptance as a viable treatment. The present study's purpose was to further the understanding of the quality of life outcomes of salvage cryosurgery.


METHODS
A total of 46 men with locally recurrent prostate cancer after radiotherapy were recruited to participate in a prospective Phase II clinical trial using salvage cryosurgery. There were 2 questionnaires (i.e., the European Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ C30 and the Prostate Cancer Index) administered before cryosurgery, and at 1.5, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after treatment.


RESULTS
Quality of life returned to preoperative levels by 24 months after cryosurgery in all domains, with the exception of urinary and sexual functioning. At 24 months, 29% of men reported urinary bother as a moderate-to-big problem, and 56% reported sexual bother as a moderate-to-big problem.


CONCLUSIONS
To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate prospectively men's quality of life for 2 years after salvage cryosurgery for locally recurrent prostate cancer after radiotherapy. Long-term impairments in quality of life appear to be limited to the sexual and urinary function domains. Overall quality of life appears to be high. These results support salvage cryosurgery as a viable treatment option.
Robinson
John W
JW
Department of Oncology and Program in Clinical Psychology, University of Calgary, Tom Baker Cancer Centre, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. johnrobi@cancerboard.ab.ca
Donnelly
Bryan J
BJ
Coupland
Kerry
K
Siever
Jodi E
JE
Saliken
John C
JC
Scott
Cheryl
C
Brasher
P M A
PM
Ernst
D Scott
DS
D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000523:psychology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D011788:Quality of Life; D016879:Salvage Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology