title: Predictors of postoperative quality of life after surgery for lung cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim was to analyze the association between selected patient variables and health-related quality of life 6 months after surgery for lung cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective population-based cohort study, Short Form 36 (SF-36) was used to assess quality of life before and 6 months after surgery for lung cancer. The change in SF-36 summary and subscale scores were used to categorize quality of life in two groups (worse or stable/improved) at 6 months compared with baseline. Logistic regression models adjusting for potential confounding factors were used to analyze the association between patient variables and quality of life 6 months after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A baseline SF-36 questionnaire was completed by 249 patients. Nonresponders at 6 months (n = 36) were excluded, and 14 patients who died before 6 months follow-up remained in the study, leaving 213 patients available for analysis. Gender, comorbidity, occurrence of postoperative complications, and tumor stage were not associated with the physical aspect of quality of life 6 months after surgery. The extent of resection, age, and adjuvant therapy was significantly associated with a clinically relevant decline in the SF-36 physical component summary score 6 months postoperatively. No patient variables were predictive of a decline in the mental component summary score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The extent of resection, age, and adjuvant therapy was associated with a clinically relevant decline in the physical aspect of health-related quality of life 6 months after surgery. Further studies are needed to explore possible mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Möller
authors.forename: Ulrik
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Sartipy
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology