title: Quality of life by stage of cervical cancer among Malaysian patients.
abstract: Stage of cervical cancer may adversely affect the quality of life (QOL) among patients. The objective of this study was to predict the QOL among cervical cancer patients by the stage of their cancer. A cross-sectional study from September 2012 until January 2013 was conducted among cervical cancer patients who completed treatment. All patients completed a interviewer-guided questionnaire comprising four sections: (A) socio- demographic data, (B) medical history, (C) QOL measured by general health status questionnaire (QLQ-30) and (D) cervical cancer specific module CX-24 (EORTC) was used to measured patient's functional, symptom scale and their global health status. Results showed that global health status, emotional functioning and pain score were higher in stage III cervical cancer patients while role functioning was higher in stage I cervical cancer patients. Patients with stage IV cancer have a lower mean score in global health status (adjusted b-22.0, 95 CI% -35.6, -8.49) and emotional functioning (adjusted b -22.5, 95 CI% -38.1, -6.69) while stage III had lower mean score in role functioning (adjusted b -14.3, 95 CI% -25.4, -3.21) but higher mean score in pain (adjusted b 22.1, 95 CI% 8.56, 35.7). In conclusion, stage III and IV cervical cancers mainly affect the QOL of cervical cancer patients. Focus should be given to these subgroups to help in improving the QOL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia E-mail : azmawati@ppukm.ukm.edu.my/atienawi@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mohammed Nawi
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Azmawati
authors.forename: Endut
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Najibah
authors.forename: Mohd Dali Ahmad Zailani
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Hatta
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Norfazilah
mesh_terms: D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*