title: [Influence of clinical characteristics on health-related quality of life after mid-low rectal cancer surgery].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study aims to investigate health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in disease-free survivors after radical surgery for mid-low rectal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed in patients with rectal cancer who underwent primary surgery between August 2002 and February 2011 by use of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 and CR-38 questionnaires (n = 330). The impact of clinical characteristics on HRQoL were assessed and compared by univariate and multivariate regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred and four effective responses were received. Patients with stoma were more impaired in HRQoL than those without stoma, especially in the field of social psychology, such as emotional function (M(50) = 91.67, U = 2668.5, P = 0.026), social function (M(50) = 83.33, U = 2095.5, P < 0.001), financial difficulties (M(50) = 0, U = 2240.5, P < 0.001) and body image (M(50) = 88.89, U = 2507.0, P = 0.013). Only in the constipation scale (M(50) = 14.29, U = 2376.0, P = 0.001), nonstoma patients had a better score. The analysis in different types of surgical procedure paralleled those of stoma. Patients with complication had a poorer function in some symptom scales such as dyspnoea (M(50) = 0, U = 1505.0, P < 0.001), gastro-intestinal symptom (M(50) = 6.67, U = 1766.0, P = 0.034) and financial difficulties (M(50) = 33.33, U = 1795.5, P = 0.044), and in some functioning scales such as emotional function (M(50) = 83.33, U = 1608.5, P = 0.009), cognitive function (M(50) = 66.67, U = 1612.5, P = 0.010) and body image (M(50) = 66.67, U = 1617.0, P = 0.012). In our study, HRQoL after rectal cancer surgery improved with time. Our multivariate analysis displayed that stoma and postoperative time were the most significant characteristics. Variables associated with worse financial status were less postoperative months, occurrence of complications and presence of stoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Different scales of HRQoL in patients of China after curative surgery for mid-low rectal cancer are significantly influenced by different clinical characteristics.
authors: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Xin-xin
authors: XX
authors: Li
authors: Xin-ming
authors: XM
authors: Song
authors: Zhi-hui
authors: ZH
authors: Chen
authors: Ming-zhe
authors: MZ
authors: Li
authors: Dong-lian
authors: DL
authors: Chen
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Xu
authors: Wen-hua
authors: WH
authors: Zhan
authors: Yu-long
authors: YL
authors: He
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001828:Body Image; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011788:Quality of Life; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D054047:Surgical Stomas; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires