title: Palliative surgical intervention in metastatic colorectal carcinoma: a prospective analysis of quality of life.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Quality of life (QOL) was assessed after palliative surgery for incurable metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Newly diagnosed patients with incurable metastatic CRC who were offered elective palliative surgical intervention were included. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CR29 questionnaire was used for the assessment of QOL at baseline and at 3 and 6 months after surgery. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate the mean change in the QOL score from baseline.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-four patients formed the study group. Sixteen underwent resection of the primary tumour and eight had a proximal diversion or bypass. The Global Health (GH) score and Social Functioning (SF) score improved at 3 and 6 months after intervention respectively (GH +11, P = 0.021; SF +15, P = 0.005). Mean anxiety scores were markedly improved from the baseline of 51 to 71 (P = 0.004, 3 months) and 76 (P = 0.002, 6 months). Weight concerns also improved significantly when compared with baseline (3 months, +20, P < 0.001; 6 months, +14, P = 0.012). Symptoms of diarrhoea (3 months, --17, P = 0.007; 6 months,--16, P = 0.008) and nausea (--8, P = 0.032) improved.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with incurable metastatic CRC, surgery improved QOL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Colorectal Surgery, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Colorectal Surgery, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Chew
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: I B H
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Law
authors.affiliation: Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Centre for Qualitative Medicine, DUKE NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Acharyya
authors.affiliation: Department of Colorectal Surgery, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: Department of Colorectal Surgery, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.affiliation: Department of Colorectal Surgery, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Loi
authors.affiliation: Department of Colorectal Surgery, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Palliative surgery; QOL; metastatic colorectal carcinoma