Evaluation of quality of life of patients submitted to pulmonary resection due to neoplasia.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the health-related quality of life of patients submitted to resection of the pulmonary parenchyma due to neoplasia.


METHODS
The Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey was used to evaluate patients in the preoperative period and on postoperative days 30, 90 and 180. We used the GEE statistical model, in which the dependent variable (quality of life) changes for each patient over the course of the evaluation. Independent variables were gender, age, educational level, type of surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, forced vital capacity and 6-minute walk test. The level of significance adopted was 5%.


RESULTS
The final study sample comprised 36 patients, 20 of whom were men. Of those 36 patients, 17 were submitted to lobectomy, 10 to pneumonectomy, 6 to segmentectomy, and 3 to bilobectomy. Chemotherapy was used in 15 patients, radiotherapy in 2, and a combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy in 2. Improved quality of life was seen in the following domains: social (on postoperative day 90); physical/functional (some patients presenting better forced vital capacity and 6-minute walk test performance); and physical (in patients undergoing smaller resections). Lowered quality of life was seen in the following domains: social (for female patients); physical/social (resulting from radiotherapy, chemotherapy or both); and physical/functional (by postoperative day 30).


CONCLUSIONS
It is important that studies evaluating the various determinants of quality of life, as well as the impact that cancer treatment modalities have on such variables, be conducted. The knowledge provided by such studies can contribute to improving the quality of life of patients undergoing pulmonary resection due to neoplasia.
Saad
Ivete Alonso Bredda
IA
Physiotherapy at College of Jaguariúna, São Paulo, Brazil. iabsaad@globo.com
Botega
Neury José
NJ
Toro
Ivan Felizardo Contrera
IF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013510:Pulmonary Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014797:Vital Capacity