Outcomes of external-beam radiation therapy for prostate cancer: a study of Medicare beneficiaries in three surveillance, epidemiology, and end results areas.
J Clin Oncol
; 14(8): 2258-65, 1996 Aug.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-8708715
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE:
This study was designed to obtain representative estimates of the quality of life and probabilities of possible adverse effects among Medicare-age patients treated with external-beam radiation therapy for prostate cancer.METHODS:
Patients treated for local or regional prostate cancer with high-energy external-beam radiation between 1989 and 1991 were sampled from a claims data base of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program from three regions. Patients were surveyed primarily by mail, with telephone follow-up evaluation of non-respondents. There were 621 respondents (83% response rate). The results were compared with data from a previously published national survey of Medicare-age men who had undergone radical prostatectomy.RESULTS:
Although they were older at the time of treatment, radiation patients were less likely than surgical patients to wear pads for wetness (7% v 32%) and had a lower rate of impotence (23% v 56% for men < 70 years), while they were more likely to report problems with bowel dysfunction (10% v 4%). Both groups reported generally positive feelings about their treatments. Radiation and surgical patients reported similar rates of additional subsequent treatment (24% v 26% at 3 years after primary treatment). However, radiation patients were less likely to say they were cancer-free, and they reported more worry about cancer than did surgical patients.CONCLUSION:
The health-related quality of life of radiation and surgical patients, on average, is similar, but the pattern of experience with adverse consequences of treatment differs by treatment.
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Neoplasias da Próstata
/
Medicare
/
Programa de SEER
Tipo de estudo:
Etiology_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Screening_studies
Limite:
Aged
/
Humans
/
Male
País como assunto:
America do norte
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
1996
Tipo de documento:
Article