title: Long-term lung cancer survivors have permanently decreased quality of life after surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Retrospective evaluation of the long-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among survivors after non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 586 patients underwent surgery for NSCLC in Helsinki University Central Hospital between January 2000 and June 2009. Two validated quality-of-life questionnaires, the 15D and the EORTC QLQ-C30 with its lung cancer-specific module, QLQ-LC13, were sent to the 276 patients alive in June 2011. Response rate was 83.3%. Results of the 15D were compared with those of an age- and gender-standardized general population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median follow-up was 5 years. Compared with a general population, our patients had a significantly lower 15D total score, representing their total HRQoL and scores for dimensions of mobility, breathing, usual activities, depression, distress, and vitality. The patients, however, scored significantly higher on vision, hearing, and mental function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NSCLC survivors may suffer postoperatively from permanently reduced long-term HRQoL compared to an age- and gender-matched general population. This is essential patient information as more patients are surviving longer.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Thoracic and Esophageal Surgery, Heart and Lung Center, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Ville
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rauma
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Helsinki University, Faculty of Medicine, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Harri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sintonen
authors.affiliation: Department of General Thoracic and Esophageal Surgery, Heart and Lung Center, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Jari V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Räsänen
authors.affiliation: Department of General Thoracic and Esophageal Surgery, Heart and Lung Center, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Jarmo A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Salo
authors.affiliation: Department of General Thoracic and Esophageal Surgery, Heart and Lung Center, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: ilkka.ilonen@hus.fi.
authors.forename: Ilkka K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Ilonen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016019:Survival Analysis; D017741:Survivors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures
keywords: 15D; EORTC QLQ-C30; Health-related quality of life; Lung cancer; NSCLC; Surgery