Pelvic radiotherapy does not deteriorate the quality of life of women with gynecologic cancers in long-term follow-up: A 2 years prospective single-center study

• Published in: Journal of cancer research and therapeutics 2017-07, Vol.13 (3), p.524-532
• Main Authors: Yavas, Guler, Yavas, Cagdas, Dogan, Nasuh Utku, Ilhan, Tolgay Tuyan, Dogan, Selen, Karabagli, Pinar, Ata, Ozlem, Yuce, Ebru, Celik, Cetin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Analysis; Anxiety; Brachytherapy; Cancer therapies; Care and treatment; Cervical cancer; Constipation; Diagnosis; Drug dosages; Endometrial cancer; Endometrial Neoplasms - epidemiology; Endometrial Neoplasms - pathology; Endometrial Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Fecal incontinence; Female; Genital Neoplasms, Female - epidemiology; Genital Neoplasms, Female - pathology; Genital Neoplasms, Female - radiotherapy; Gynecology; Humans; Laparoscopy; Lymphedema; Middle Aged; Nausea - epidemiology; Nausea - pathology; Obstetrics; Oncology; Ovarian cancer; Pain - epidemiology; Pain - pathology; Patients; Pelvic cancer; Pelvis - pathology; Pelvis - radiation effects; Prospective Studies; Quality of Life; Radiation therapy; Radiotherapy; Radiotherapy - adverse effects; Self image; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - epidemiology; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - pathology; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Validity; Vomiting - epidemiology; Vomiting - pathology
• ISSN: 0973-1482; 1998-4138
• DOI: 10.4103/0973-1482.187243

To evaluate the emotional, sexual and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) concerns of the women with gynecologic malignancy treated with curative radiotherapy (RT). A 100 women with diagnosis of gynecologic malignancy were prospectively enrolled. HRQoL at baseline, at the end of RT and during follow-up was assessed using European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL Questionnaire-C30 (EORTC QLQ-C30), EORTC QLQ-cervical cancer module 24, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The appetite loss, diarrhea, fatigue, dyspnea, insomnia, nausea and vomiting, pain scores, and sexual activity and sexual enjoyment scores were deteriorated after RT (P = 0.02 for pain scores and P < 0.001 for all other). Body image scores were higher in patients with endometrial cancer (P < 0.01). The emotional function, nausea and vomiting, body image and symptom experience scores were higher in patients who underwent chemotherapy (P = 0.04 and P = 0.01). All the complaints of patients improved during follow-up period. The global health status scores and the level of depression deteriorated in patients with locoregional recurrent disease and distant metastasis. The anxiety (P = 0.001) and depression (P = 0.007) levels were higher in basal and after-RT visits but then decreased through the subsequent follow-up visits. Although pelvic RT deteriorated HRQoL in patients with gynecologic malignancy, HRQoL improved during the follow-up period. The progressive disease had a negative impact on HRQoL.