title: Quality of life during 5 years after stereotactic radiotherapy in stage I non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the long-term impact of stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) on the quality of life (QoL) of inoperable patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2006 to February 2008, 39 patients with pathologically confirmed T1-2N0M0 NSCLC were treated with SRT. QoL, overall survival and local tumor control were assessed. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ)-C30 and the lung cancer-specific questionnaire QLQ-LC13 were used to investigate changes in QoL. Assessments were done before treatment, at 3 weeks, every 2-3 months during the first two years, and then every 6 months until 5 years after the treatment or death or progressive disease. The median follow up was 38 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the 5 years after treatment with SRT for stage I NSCLC, the level of QoL was maintained: There was a slow decline (slope: -0.015) of the global health status over the 5 years (p < 0.0001). The physical functioning and the role functioning improved slowly (slope: 0.006 and 0.004, resp.) over the years and this was also significant (p < 0.0001). The emotional functioning (EF) improved significantly at 1 year compared to the baseline. Two years after the treatment dyspnea slowly increased (slope: 0.005, p = 0.006). The actuarial overall survival was 62% at 2 years and 31% at 5-years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  QoL was maintained 5 years after SRT for stage I NSCLC and EF improved significantly. Dyspnea slowly increased 2 years after the treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Postbus 2040, 3000, Rotterdam, CA, the Netherlands. rutgerjubels@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Rutger J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Ubels
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. s.mokhles@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: Sahar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mokhles
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. e.andrinopoulou@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: Eleni R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Andrinopoulou
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Postbus 2040, 3000, Rotterdam, CA, the Netherlands. c.braat.1@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Braat
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Postbus 2040, 3000, Rotterdam, CA, the Netherlands. n.van.der.voortvanzyp@mchaaglanden.nl.
authors.forename: Noëlle C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: van der Voort van Zyp
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Postbus 2040, 3000, Rotterdam, CA, the Netherlands. s.aluwini@eramsusmc.nl.
authors.forename: Shafak
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aluwini
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. j.aerts@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: Joachim G J V
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Aerts
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Postbus 2040, 3000, Rotterdam, CA, the Netherlands. j.nuyttens@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: Joost J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Nuyttens
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D003371:Cough / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D016634:Radiosurgery; D012380:Role; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015996:Survival Rate; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*