Predicting the Quality of Life in Patients with Gastrointestinal Cancers in Iranian Population.

Abstract

BACKGROUND Evaluation of the quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients gives valuable information regarding the burden of disease, type of treatment and its side effects in studies on chronic diseases. In this study an attempt is made to predict the QoL of patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. METHODS In a cross sectional prospective study, data of 107 patients with GI cancers 58 male & 49 female with a mean age of 60.7±10.5 referred to a hospital from April 2009 to June 2015 were collected by using two standard questionnaires of EORTC-QLQ C30 and EORTC-QLQ-GINET 21. Data analysis was done using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and correlation test in soft wares of STATA and SPSS.16. RESULTS Total QoL score was 50.7±24.6 in patients with gastrointestinal cancer which is almost optimal. Symptoms level was more in gastric cancer patients and their major complaints were constipation and diarrhea.  QoL of patients with GI cancers were more affected by the educational level and type of cancer (P<0.05).A high correlation of QoL was related to social and emotional domains (P<0.05). Mean score of QoL was more in males with colorectal cancer, educated and retired patients (P<0.05). CONCLUSION the social and emotional support to patients with esophageal cancer and to reduce the level of symptoms in patients with gastric cancer due to complications of their diseases or treatment should be of consideration to improve their QoL.