title: Comparison of health-related quality of life between cancer survivors treated in designated cancer centers and the general public in Korea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We assessed health-related quality of life in cancer survivors treated in designated cancer centers when compared with the general population in Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicenter survey was conducted from July through August 2008 using the quota-sampling approach. A general population sample was drawn from the Fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, second year. We compared the multivariate-adjusted least square means of cancer patients with those of the general population to examine relationships between EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire components and cancer sites, cancer stage and time since diagnosis. The independent variables of responses to the EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire were evaluated using logistic regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cancer patients scored significantly poorer on measures of self-care (means: stomach 1.25; lung 1.40; liver 1.27; colon 1.26; breast 1.27; cervical 1.29 vs. general 1.18), engagement in usual activities (means: stomach 1.47; lung 1.63; liver 1.45; colon 1.44; breast 1.46; cervical 1.47 vs. general 1.33) and anxiety/depression (means: stomach 1.41; lung 1.50; liver 1.41; colon 1.42; breast 1.50; cervical 1.47 vs. general 1.28). Those in the local stage scored significantly better on mobility (mean = 1.35) than the general population (mean = 1.40). Cancer patients, especially those with lung cancer, in the advanced stage and more than 5 years since diagnosis had poorer health-related quality of life than the general population. Some factors such as medical insurance and healthcare services were related to health-related quality of life among cancer patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Health-related quality of life of cancer survivors with lung cancer at advanced stages, <1 year earlier and more than 5 years since diagnosis was poorer than that for the non-cancer control group, and these differences were statistically significant. Cancer survivors should be continuously observed and offered support.
authors.affiliation: *Division of Cancer Policy and Management, National Cancer Control Research Institute, National Cancer Center, 111 Jungbalsan-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do 410-769, Korea. whitemiso@ncc.re.kr.
authors.forename: Jung-A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: So-Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yoon
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Juhwan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Hyung-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Deog-Yeon
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.forename: Tae-Gyun
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Jong-Hyock
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: EQ-VAS; EQ5D; cancer; health-related quality of life