title: Quality of life in cancer survivors 5 years or more after total gastrectomy: a case-control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study investigated how total gastrectomy (TG), along with memories of cancer, affect the subjective wellness of survivors long after surgery. Rational approaches for effectively improving the quality of life (QoL) of these survivors were suggested.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2008 and 2013, QoL data of gastric cancer patients who underwent a curative TG, were obtained at 5-year postoperative follow-up visits (5-year survivors) and at visits beyond 5 years (long-term survivors). The control groups for these survivor groups were constructed from volunteers who visited our health-examination center for annual medical checkups. The Korean versions of the European Organization for Research and Treatment (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (QLQ-C30) and the gastric cancer specific module, the EORTC QLQ-STO22, were used to assess QoL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five-year survivors showed worse QoL compared to the control group in role functioning, social functioning, nausea/vomiting, appetite loss, financial difficulties, reflux, eating restrictions, taste, and body image, and better QoL in the emotional and cognitive functioning scales. In long-term survivors, deterioration in QoL were still apparent in financial difficulties, reflux, and eating restrictions, while QoL differences in the remaining scales had diminished.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surviving 5 years after TG does not result in living in a carefree state in terms of QoL. After 5 postoperative years, survivors still need extended care for deteriorated QoL indicators due to symptomatic, behavioral, and financial consequences of surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While relevant clinical and institutional approaches are required for corresponding declines in QoL, such efforts must extend beyond 5 postoperative years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kyungpook National University Hospital, 130 Dongdeok-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu 700-721, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kyungpook National University Hospital, 130 Dongdeok-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu 700-721, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: hychung@knu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Ho Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Gastric Cancer Center, Kyungpook National University Medical Center, 807 Hoguk-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu 702-210, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Oh Kyoung
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: Gastric Cancer Center, Kyungpook National University Medical Center, 807 Hoguk-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu 702-210, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Wansik
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D017741:Survivors
keywords: Gastrectomy; Long-term care; Quality of life; Stomach neoplasms