Quality of life after non-surgical treatment of anal carcinoma: a case control study of long-term survivors

Jephcott, Catherine; Paltiel, Chuck; Hay, John

doi:10.1016/j.clon.2004.05.007

Cited by 52 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Table 3 outlines the QoL issues identified by the studies. Symptom-related data replicate the findings from toxicity reports although bowel functioning issues, in particular diarrhoea, and sexual problems were the most commonly reported issues in the QoL literature and were presented as significant concerns in seven studies [37,42,38,34,44,29,41]. Allal et al [37] reported a threefold increase in diarrhoea in their cohort compared with population norms while 31% of patients assessed by Das et al [38] D sexual interest (reported in 65% patients) reduced enjoyment of sex (71%), difficulties getting aroused (72%), erectile dysfunction (67% of men who responded) and difficulties achieving orgasm (70% of women who responded) [38].…”

Section: Quality Assessment Of Qol Reportingsupporting

confidence: 63%

“…However, there is evidence to suggest that patients with poorer health status, including more severe late complications and poorer anal function, report lower QoL scores [37,34,40,41]. In addition, bowel and sexual function issues were flagged as particularly significant QoL concerns for anal cancer patients in a number of studies [37,42,38,44,29,41].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Allal et al [37] reported a threefold increase in diarrhoea in their cohort compared with population norms while 31% of patients assessed by Das et al [38] D sexual interest (reported in 65% patients) reduced enjoyment of sex (71%), difficulties getting aroused (72%), erectile dysfunction (67% of men who responded) and difficulties achieving orgasm (70% of women who responded) [38]. Comparisons between anal cancer patients and population norms have also highlighted difficulties in social and role functioning [42,41,44], as well as sexual [44,37,42], physical [44], cognitive [41], and emotional function [41,44] (Table 3). …”

Section: Quality Assessment Of Qol Reportingmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…Six of the studies assessed QoL in the context of known group comparisons, for example according to age, sex, employment and marital status, treatment type and disease parameters [37,38,34,39,36,40,41]. Comparisons were also made using reference values from published normative data from the general population or other disease groups [42,40,43,41,37,38] while two studies included matched healthy volunteers [42,44]. QoL was a primary end point for 9 studies and for 8 of these studies data on longterm QoL issues were provided with intervals between treatment and assessment varying from 2 years [38] to more than 12 years [44,40].…”

Section: Quality Assessment Of Qol Reportingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Comparisons were also made using reference values from published normative data from the general population or other disease groups [42,40,43,41,37,38] while two studies included matched healthy volunteers [42,44]. QoL was a primary end point for 9 studies and for 8 of these studies data on longterm QoL issues were provided with intervals between treatment and assessment varying from 2 years [38] to more than 12 years [44,40]. The prevalence of missing data (where reported) ranged from 32-40% [29,38].…”

Section: Quality Assessment Of Qol Reportingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Systematic review of the quality of life issues associated with anal cancer and its treatment with radiochemotherapy

Sodergren

Vassiliou

Dennis

et al. 2015

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PurposeRadiochemotherapy is the standard of care for the treatment of anal carcinoma achieving good loco-regional control and sphincter preservation. This approach is however associated with acute and late toxicities including haematological, skin, bowel function and genito-urinary complications. This paper systematically reviews studies addressing the quality of life (QoL) implications of anal cancer and radiochemotherapy. The paper also evaluates how QoL is assessed in anal cancer. MethodsMedline, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycInfo, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library were searched for publications (1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014) reporting the effects on patients of anal cancer and radiochemotherapy. ResultsOf the 152 papers reporting treatment-related effects on patients, only 11 provided a formal assessment of QoL. In the absence of an anal cancer specific measure, QoL was assessed using generic cancer instruments such as the core EORTC quality of life questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) or colorectal cancer tools such as the EORTC QLQ-CR29. Bowel function, particularly diarrhoea, and sexual problems were the most commonly reported QoL concerns. The review of QoL issues of anal cancer patients treated with radiochemotherapy is limited by the QoL assessment measures used. It is argued that certain treatment-related toxicities, for example skin-induced radiation problems are overlooked or inadequately represented in existing measures. ConclusionsThis review emphasises the need to develop an anal cancer specific QoL measure and to incorporate QoL as an outcome of future trials in anal cancer. The results of this review are informative to clinicians and patients in terms of treatment decision making.

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Section: Quality Assessment Of Qol Reportingsupporting

confidence: 63%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Quality Assessment Of Qol Reportingmentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Quality Assessment Of Qol Reportingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Quality Assessment Of Qol Reportingmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Systematic review of the quality of life issues associated with anal cancer and its treatment with radiochemotherapy

Sodergren

Vassiliou

Dennis

et al. 2015

Support Care Cancer

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Long‐term quality of life after radiotherapy for the treatment of anal cancer

Das

Cantor

Parker

et al. 2009

Cancer

103

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BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy is the current standard of care for patients with localized squamous cell cancer of the anal canal. The goal of the current study was to evaluate long-term quality of life (QoL) in patients after this treatment. METHODS: Questionnaires were mailed to 80 patients treated with definitive radiotherapy, with or without concurrent chemotherapy, for anal cancer, with a minimum 2-year interval after the completion of radiotherapy. The questionnaire included the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Colorectal (FACT-C), the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) Sexual Problems Scale, and questions regarding demographic characteristics and comorbidities. RESULTS: A total of 32 (40%) patients completed the questionnaire. There were no significant differences noted with regard to clinical and demographic characteristics between the survey responders and nonresponders. Among the 32 responders, the median dose of radiotherapy was 55 Grays (Gy), and 97% had received concurrent chemotherapy. The median interval between radiotherapy and survey participation was 5 years (range, 3-13 years). The median total FACT-C score was 108 (range, 47-128), of a maximum (best possible) score of 136. Patients who reported depression or anxiety and younger patients were found to have significantly lower total FACT-C scores. The median scores on the Physical, Social/Family, Emotional, Functional, and Colorectal subscales of the FACT-C were 20, 23, 21, 22, and 21, respectively, of maximum (best possible) scores of 28, 28, 24, 28, and 28, respectively. The median score on the MOS Sexual Problems Scale was 67 (range, 0-100), of a maximum (worst possible) score of 100. CONCLUSIONS: Patients treated with radiotherapy for anal cancer reported acceptable overall QoL scores, but poor sexual function scores. Investigations are warranted into more modern radiation techniques that could potentially reduce late toxicity from radiotherapy. Cancer 2010;116:822-9.

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