title: Chronological Changes of Quality of Life in Long-Term Survivors after Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A few studies have prospectively evaluated changes in quality of life (QoL) after surgery in short-term survivors; however, no prospective study has evaluated the longitudinal changes in QoL in long-terms survivors. We prospectively evaluated the chronological changes in QoL after a gastrectomy over a 5-year postoperative period in a large group of patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  QoL data from the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 and the QLQ-STO22 questionnaires were obtained from 254 patients who completed the entire series of QoL assessments preoperatively and at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no statistically significant change in global health status/QoL during the 5-year postoperative period. Decreases in QoL from upper gastrointestinal symptoms including diarrhea (p < 0.001), dysphagia (p < 0.001), reflux symptoms (p=0.029), and eating restrictions (p < 0.001) were observed among the long-term survivors. Decreased physical functioning (p < 0.001), role functioning (p < 0.001), and cognitive functioning (p < 0.001), along with fatigue (p=0.045) and a poor body image (p=0.003), negatively impacted the patients' QoL for a long time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Management of gastrointestinal symptoms should be specifically targeted as a part of long-term patient care after a gastrectomy. Proper nutritional care will improve food intake resulting in weight gain and improved physical functioning, role functioning, and body image. In addition, patients should be encouraged to preserve self-esteem and maintain social activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.|Gastric Cancer Center, Kyungpook National University Medical Center, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Wansik
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Gastric Cancer Center, Kyungpook National University Medical Center, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Ki Bum
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Ho Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Gastric Cancer Center, Kyungpook National University Medical Center, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Oh Kyoung
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D000073116:Cancer Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D015430:Weight Gain
keywords: Gastrectomy; Quality of life; Stomach neoplasms