Health-related quality of life in patients with colorectal cancer who receive oral uracil and tegafur plus leucovorin.
OBJECTIVE
Adjuvant chemotherapy with oral uracil/tegafur plus leucovorin has been acknowledged to be a standard treatment for Stage II or III cancer of the colon. The objective of the study was to examine the health-related quality of life during treatment in patients with colorectal cancer who receive oral uracil/tegafur plus leucovorin.


METHODS
Health-related quality of life was assessed at baseline (pre-treatment) and at 5-week intervals during treatment, using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 questionnaires. Health-related quality of life data for five courses of treatment were then analyzed longitudinally.


RESULTS
Ninety-four patients completed the baseline and post-treatment health-related quality of life assessments. The post-treatment assessments changed significantly from the baseline values and favored post-treatment for all the scales except cognitive function, dyspnea, insomnia, constipation and diarrhea. Role function and social function changed by 10 or more points considered clinically significant. Most of the scales in patients with Grade 0-1 toxicities were better than those with Grade 2-3 toxicities, but Grade 2-3 toxicities were not associated with post-treatment deteriorations in health-related quality of life. The development of Grade 3 toxicities negatively affected on the four scales at the next assessment, compared with Grade 1-2 toxicities.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall health-related quality of life did not deteriorate during adjuvant chemotherapy with oral uracil/tegafur plus leucovorin in patients with colorectal cancer, despite the effect from surgical damage, whereas the development of Grade 3 toxicities negatively affected on short-term health-related quality of life. Further comparative studies are needed.
Tsunoda
Akira
A
Department of Surgery, Kameda Medical Center, Kamogawa City, Chiba, 296-8602, Japan. a.tsunoda@kameda.jp
Nakao
Kentaro
K
Watanabe
Makoto
M
Matsui
Nobuaki
N
Tsunoda
Yuko
Y
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D005641:Tegafur / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D014498:Uracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects
D005641:Tegafur; D014498:Uracil; D002955:Leucovorin