Self-reported symptoms of faecal incontinence among long-term gynaecological cancer survivors and population-based controls.
OBJECTIVE
To make a comprehensive, detailed inventory of gastrointestinal symptoms reported by gynaecological cancer survivors and control women from the general population.


METHODS
We identified a cohort of 789 eligible women in the Stockholm and Gothenburg areas, treated with pelvic radiotherapy during the period 1991-2003, alone or as combined treatment, for gynaecological cancer. As controls, we randomly recruited 478 women, frequency matched by age and residence from the Swedish Population Registry. We collected data in 2006 by means of a study-specific, validated, postal questionnaire including 351 questions covering symptoms from the pelvic region. We asked about demographics, psychological and quality-of-life issues as well as social functioning.


RESULTS
Participation was 78% for cancer survivors and 72% for controls. Mean follow-up was 7.2 years. In this large, population-based study, the greatest age-adjusted absolute risk difference between cancer survivors and control women was observed for the symptom defaecation urgency with faecal leakage and the highest age-adjusted relative risk for emptying of all stools into clothing without forewarning.


CONCLUSIONS
Cancer survivors having undergone pelvic radiotherapy alone or as part of combined treatment between the period 1991-2003 for a gynaecological malignancy had a higher occurrence of long-lasting gastrointestinal symptoms as compared to population controls.
Dunberger
Gail
G
Clinical Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Oncology and Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden. gail.dunberger@ki.se
Lind
Helena
H
Steineck
Gunnar
G
Waldenström
Ann-Charlotte
AC
Nyberg
Tommy
T
Al-Abany
Massoud
M
Nyberg
Ullakarin
U
Vall-Lundqvist
Elisabeth
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D017741:Survivors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology