Regional recurrence of malignant tumors in the peritoneal cavity usually signifies a poor prognosis for the host and often results in gastrointestinal complications requiring surgical intervention. One hundred patients with nongynecological malignancies found with peritoneal carcinomatosis were followed prospectively. The most common primary tumors were colorectal (N = 45) and pancreatic (N = 20) carcinoma. When associated with pancreatic carcinoma, 65% of patients had liver metastases and 60% had ascites. The presence of ascites was associated with poor survival, with no patient surviving past 30 days. Ascites was also a sign of poor prognosis in patients with colorectal carcinoma. Among possible prognostic factors in colorectal carcinoma patients, only disease-free interval, presence of lung metastases, and ascites showed statistically significant correlations with survival. Peritoneal carcinomatosis in sarcoma (N = 7) and breast cancer (N = 6) patients had median survival of 12 and 7 months, respectively. Surgical intervention for gastrointestinal complications in peritoneal carcinomatosis can provide significant palliation, with a few exceptions such as in patients with pancreatic or gastric carcinoma, ascites, and poor performance status.

Overall, the analyses provide evidence for the validity and reliability of the COH-QOL-Ostomy Questionnaire as a comprehensive, multidimensional self-report questionnaire for measuring quality of life in patients with intestinal ostomies.

Results confirmed the negative impact of a colostomy on QOL. While patients with cancer had a better overall QOL than those with benign processes, concerns were common to all colostomy patients. These results provide health care practitioners with information useful in discussing QOL concerns during pre-operation treatment decisions and post operative teaching and follow-up care.