THE IMPACT OF POSTOPERATIVE COMPLICATIONS IN QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE PATIENTS WITH NONMETASTATIC COLON CANCER
Paula Popa (1*), C. Pleşa (1), C.N. Neacşu (1), D. Vintilă (1), T. Ţăranu (1),
Liliana Forţu (2), Şt. O. Georgescu (1)
(*) PhD student “Gr.T.Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iaşi
(1) “Gr.T.Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iaşi
Surgery Clinic II, University Hospital St Spiridon Iaşi
(2) Surgery Clinic II, University Hospital St Spiridon Iaşi
Jurnalul de chirurgie 2011; 7 (4): 574-581
Full text: Format PDF (Română/Romanian)

Abstract:

Background: Surgery is main treatment for colonic cancer. Knowing and preventing the risk factors for complications have many benefits in improving the quality of life of these patients. Material and method. During three years, between 2008 and 2010, we performed a prospective cohort study on 78 consecutive patients with nonmetastatic colon cancer operated in two surgical departments from University Hospital „Sf. Spiridon” Iaşi, Romania. Preoperatively the subjects answered to the items of the EORTC QLQ-C30 version 3.0 questionnaires. A new interview based on EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire after six months and one year from the initial surgery represented the recruitment endpoint. We recorded the postoperative complications and analyzed the association between these and quality of life of the patients. We assessed the following independent variables: gender, age, comorbidities, time between hospital admission and surgical procedure, tumor site, surgical procedure, ostomy type and chemotherapy. Results. After six months from surgery we registered a significant increase of pain and decrease in physical functioning (PF) for the patients who developed infection of the wound. The anastomotic leakage was correlated with a decrease of global health status (QL), physical functioning (PF), cognitive functioning (CF) and constipation (CO). At one year the quality of life were influenced by the adherential syndrome including symptoms like nausea and vomiting (NV), pain (PA) and constipation (CO). Conclusions. The complications after surgery for neoplasm of the colon influence the quality of life of the patients even one year after the operation.

KEY WORDS: QUALITY OF LIFE, COLON CANCER

Correspondence to: Paula Popa, MD, Surgery Clinic II, University Hospital St Spiridon Iaşi, B-dul Independenţei nr. 1, Iaşi, România, 700111