J Gastric Cancer.  2012 Sep;12(3):194-200.

Changes of Quality of Life after Gastric Cancer Surgery

• Kong H
• Kwon OK
• Yu W

Abstract

PURPOSE
The aim of this study was to evaluate chronological change of quality of life after surgery in patients with gastric cancer during one year postoperatively.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Quality of life data were obtained from 272 gastric cancer patients who underwent curative gastrectomy between September 2008 and February 2011 at the Kyungpook National University Hospital. The Korean versions of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire Core (QLQ) 30 with gastric cancer-specific module, the EORTC QLQ-STO22 were used to assess quality of life. All patients had no evidence of recurrence or metastasis during the first postoperative year. Patients were asked to complete the questionnaire, by themselves preoperatively, 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-months postoperatively.
RESULTS
Physical functioning score and role functioning score significantly decreased at first 3 months after surgery and the significant differences were noticed until 12 months after surgery. Emotional functioning score started with the lowest score before surgery and significant improvement was shown 6 months after surgery. Most symptom scores and STO-22 scores were highest at 3 months after surgery and gradually decreased, thereafter. Eating restriction, anxiety, taste, body image scores was highest at 3 months after surgery without significant decrease afterwards.
CONCLUSIONS
Most scales worsened after surgery and gradually recovered afterwards with some differences in rate of recovery. However the scales did not fully recover by 1 year period. Further follow-up after 1 year would be helpful in determining which scales are permanently damaged and which are just taking longer time to recover.

Keyword

Stomach neoplasms; Quality of life; Gastrectomy

MeSH Terms

Anxiety
Body Image
Eating
Follow-Up Studies
Gastrectomy
Humans
Neoplasm Metastasis
Quality of Life
Recurrence
Stomach Neoplasms
Weights and Measures
Surveys and Questionnaires

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Changes of mean score of global health status. Error bars represent 95% confidence interval.

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  Fig. 2 Changes of mean score of functioning scales. (A) Physical functioning score and (B) role functioning score decreased 3 months after surgery and gradually improved, thereafter. (C) Emotional functioning scale started with lowest score before surgery and improved afterwards. (D) Cognitive and social functioning scores did not show any pattern. Error bars represent 95% confidence interval.

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  Fig. 3 Changes of mean score of symptom scales without statistical significance.

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  Fig. 4 Changes of mean score of symptom scales with statistical significance. (A) Fatigue, (B) nausea vomiting, and (C) appetite loss scores were highest at 3 months after surgery. (D) Diarrhea score increased after surgery and did not decrease afterwards. Error bars represent 95% confidence interval.

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  Fig. 5 Changes of mean score of QLQ-STO22 scales with statistical significance. (A) Dysphagia, (B) eating restriction, (C) anxiety, (D) taste, and (E) body image score increased after surgery and gradually decreased afterwards. Error bars represent 95% confidence interval.

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  Fig. 6 Changes of mean score of QLQ-STO22 scales without statistical significance.

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