title: Quality of Life in Cervical Cancer Survivors and Healthy Women: Thai Urban Population Study
abstract: Background : To determine a baseline quality of life (QoL) in cervical cancer survivors compared to that of healthy
  subjects in the tertiary Thammasat University Hospital, Thailand. Materials and Methods: The investigation was
  conducted at the outpatient gynecological department of Thammasat University Hospital between January and June
  2016. A total of 192 women were entered into the study (97 cervical cancer survivors; 37 after radical hysterectomy
  (RH), 43 with concurrent chemoradiation (CRT), and 17 featuring both RH and CRT; and 95 control subjects from the
  same outpatient department with no history of malignancy). Participant QoL was assessed using a Thai version of the
  EORTC-QLQ-C30 (European Organization for Research Treatment of Cancer Quality-of-Life) and a general survey for
  the assessment of sociodemographic data was also conducted. Results: There were significant differences in physical,
  role, emotional and social functions between cervical cancer survivor and control groups. Global health, fatigue, pain,
  appetite loss, and financial difficulties also demonstrated statistically significant variation. Cervical cancer survivors
  treated by RH had higher scores for emotional and social function and global health than the control group. Moreover,
  they had less appetite loss, fatigue and financial difficulties. However, patients treated with CRT experienced more
  pain than the control group. All cervical cancer survivors had lower physical function scores than the control group.
  Conclusion: Quality of life in cervical cancer survivors is better than in healthy peers in some domains. Cervical cancer
  survivors treated with RH may have a better QoL than healthy peers. Early detection for early stage cervical cancer
  remains most important because treatment in early stages does not cause lowering of the QoL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Thailand. Email:ntongta@gmail.com
authors.forename: Pichita
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Prasongvej
authors.forename: Tongta
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nanthakomon
authors.forename: Kankamol
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jaisin
authors.forename: Athita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chanthasenanont
authors.forename: Supapen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lertvutivivat
authors.forename: Chamnan
authors.initials: Ch
authors.lastname: Tanprasertkul
authors.forename: Kornkarn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bhamarapravatana
authors.forename: Komsun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suwannarurk
keywords: Cervical cancer; quality of life; radical hysterectomy; concurrent chemoradiation