Quality of Life assessment through the EORTC questionnaires of locally advanced rectal cancer patients treated with preoperative chemo-radiotherapy

RESUMEN

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ABSTRACT

Purpose. To assess the quality of life in a group ofrectal cancer patients during the treatment period.Material and methods. A sample of 83 rectal cancerpatients in Dukes’ stages B2 or C who started achemoradiotherapy treatment followed by surgery,have filled in the EORTC core questionnaire QLQC30and the colorectal module QLQ-CR38, in threemoments during the treatment and follow-up periodsat the beginning of the treatment, at the end ofthe chemoradiotherapy, and after surgery. Clinicaland demographic data have also been recorded.Quality of Life scores and changes in them amongthe three assessments have been calculated.Results. Quality of life scores of patients who havefollowed the treatment has been good in most dimensions,and has shown similar to the clinical data.Soft and moderate alterations have appeared inthe areas of disease symptoms, treatment toxicity,fatigue, emotional and sexual functioning, and alsoin functional areas after surgery. Quality of life hasbeen stable or has had small changes in most dimensions.A worsening in toxicity areas has appeared afterthe neoadyuvant treatment. After surgery there hasbeen a worsening in functional areas, fatigue andappetite loss, and an improvement in diarrhoea.Conclusions. Quality of life scores and clinical dataindicate that the situation of the patients who havereceived the treatments has been good. Patients undertreatment stood it adequately