title: Quality of life after laparoscopic colectomy for cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This review focuses on health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) assessment questionnaires and the influence of various parameters on HRQoL at distinct time points after laparoscopic colectomy for cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A PubMed electronic database literature search was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty studies (7 prospective randomized, 5 nonrandomized, 2 retrospective, 1 matched, and 3 observational studies) used the following HRQoL tools: European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ)-C30 (8 studies), EORTC QLQ-CR38 (6 studies), EORTC QLQ-CR29 (1 study), Short Form 36 (8 studies), Gastrointestinal Quality Life Index (2 studies), EuroQoL-5D (1 study), Symptoms Distress Scale (2 studies), Quality of Life Index (2 studies), and global quality of life (1 study). Long-term beneficial effects on patient HRQoL after laparoscopic colectomy for cancer have not been clearly shown compared with "open" resections. A physical function deterioration and emotional function improvement are observed during the first month. Most patients have recovered at 12 months. Distinct HRQoL domains may be affected in older, female, and chemotherapy-treated patients. HRQoL-related parameters of pain and cosmesis have been assessed in few of the current studies on hand-assisted and single-incision laparoscopic colectomy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Studies' heterogeneity in terms of assessment tools and time points remains as the main obstacle to establish robust conclusions. The addition of more patients and extension of the follow-up period will improve our knowledge on HRQoL changes after laparoscopic colectomy for cancer.
authors: Colorectal Unit, First Department of Propaedeutic Surgery, Athens Medical School, 7 Semitelou Street, GR-11528 Athens, Greece. georgetheocrs@live.com.
authors: George E
authors: GE
authors: Theodoropoulos
authors: Colorectal Unit, First Department of Propaedeutic Surgery, Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece.
authors: Theodoros
authors: T
authors: Karantanos
mesh_terms: D003082:Colectomy; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D011788:Quality of Life