<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><sec id="j_raon-2019-0015_s_006_w2aab3b7b2b1b6b1aab1c18b1Aa"><h3>Background</h3><p>The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the surgical treatment on Slovenian colorectal cancer patients’ health-related quality of life and to compare the results to the health-related quality of life of the general Slovenian population.</p></sec><sec id="j_raon-2019-0015_s_007_w2aab3b7b2b1b6b1aab1c18b2Aa"><h3>Patients and methods</h3><p>A total of 413 patients with colorectal cancer operated on at the Abdominal Surgery Department at the Ljubljana University Medical Center between January 1st, 2016 and December 31st, 2017 were sent two standardized and validated questionnaires: the EORTC QLQ-C30 version 3 and EORTC QLQ-CR29. The questionnaires were returned by 197 patients.</p></sec><sec id="j_raon-2019-0015_s_008_w2aab3b7b2b1b6b1aab1c18b3Aa"><h3>Results</h3><p>Compared to the general population, poorer physical (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001), role (<italic>p</italic> = 0.002), cognitive (<italic>p</italic> = 0.021), and social functioning (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001) with higher frequency of constipation (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001), diarrhea (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001), and financial difficulties (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001) were reported by the colorectal patients. Female patients reported lower cognitive (<italic>p</italic> = 0.034) and emotional (<italic>p</italic> = 0.008) functioning, as well as higher frequency of bloating (<italic>p</italic> = 0.049) and hair loss (<italic>p</italic> = 0.01). Compared to the younger group of patients, lower physical functioning (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001) and higher urinary frequency (<italic>p</italic> = 0.007), urinary incontinence (<italic>p</italic> = 0.007), buttock pain (<italic>p</italic> = 0.007), and anxiety regarding body weight (<italic>p</italic> = 0.031) were detected among the older group of colorectal patients.</p></sec><sec id="j_raon-2019-0015_s_009_w2aab3b7b2b1b6b1aab1c18b4Aa"><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>The global health status of colorectal patients in Slovenia is comparable to that of the general Slovenian population, but there is a significantly lower level in some of the quality-of-life scales.</p></sec></abstract>

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the surgical treatment on Slovenian colorectal cancer patients’ health-related quality of life and to compare the results to the health-related quality of life of the general Slovenian population.Patients and methodsA total of 413 patients with colorectal cancer operated on at the Abdominal Surgery Department at the Ljubljana University Medical Center between January 1st, 2016 and December 31st, 2017 were sent two standardized and validated questionnaires: the EORTC QLQ-C30 version 3 and EORTC QLQ-CR29. The questionnaires were returned by 197 patients.ResultsCompared to the general population, poorer physical (p < 0.001), role (p = 0.002), cognitive (p = 0.021), and social functioning (p < 0.001) with higher frequency of constipation (p < 0.001), diarrhea (p < 0.001), and financial difficulties (p < 0.001) were reported by the colorectal patients. Female patients reported lower cognitive (p = 0.034) and emotional (p = 0.008) functioning, as well as higher frequency of bloating (p = 0.049) and hair loss (p = 0.01). Compared to the younger group of patients, lower physical functioning (p < 0.001) and higher urinary frequency (p = 0.007), urinary incontinence (p = 0.007), buttock pain (p = 0.007), and anxiety regarding body weight (p = 0.031) were detected among the older group of colorectal patients.ConclusionsThe global health status of colorectal patients in Slovenia is comparable to that of the general Slovenian population, but there is a significantly lower level in some of the quality-of-life scales.

Health-related quality of life in Slovenian patients with colorectal cancer: a single tertiary care center study

Radiology and Oncology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the surgical treatment on Slovenian colorectal cancer patients’ health-related quality of life...

Health-related quality of life in Slovenian patients with colorectal cancer: a single tertiary care center study

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Mar 14, 2019

Page range: 231 - 237

Received: Dec 12, 2018

Accepted: Feb 02, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/raon-2019-0015

© 2019 Jan Grosek, Jerica Novak, Katja Kitek, Alta Bajric, Ana Majdic, Jurij Ales Kosir, Ales Tomazic, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.