The individual and combined effect of colorectal cancer and diabetes on health-related quality of life and sexual functioning: results from the PROFILES registry

Aim: Research on patient-reported outcomes in colorectal cancer are scarce in Malaysia. We aimed to determine pattern of health-related quality of life and its associations among patients with colorectal cancer.Methods: A cross-sectional study of 324 patients. Data were drawn from patient’s records and interviews. Research tools included the locally validated European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) core QLQ-C30 and colorectal-cancer specific QLQ-CR29 questionnaires.Results: The mean (±standard deviation) age of patients was 62.5 (±13.6) years. Majority of them were Chinese (62.3%) followed by Malays (19.8%), Indians (14.8%) and others (3.1%). Colon cancer was 7-fold more common than rectal cancer (87% vs 13%). Majority of them were presented at Stage II (29.6%) and III (28.1) of TNM Staging. The mean (±SD) score for global health status/quality of life (GHS/QOL) was 73.13 (±14.19). Good overall functionality (mean scores ≥80) was observed for physical, emotional, role, cognitive and social/family for QLQ-C30; body image, anxiety and weight for QLQ-CR29. The mean score for sexual functioning in men (32.95±28.81) and women (17.56±25.60) were low. Commonest symptoms were fatigue (22.29±17.40), urinary frequency (21.96 ± 24.22) and insomnia (18.42 ± 23.32). Those with lower GHS/QOL had stoma (p=0.044) and were of Chinese ethnicity (p<0.001). On multivariate analysis, ethnicity was the only independent predictor of GHS/QOL (95% confidence interval, 2.589 to 6.139, p<0.001). Conclusion: Our results suggest that there is decrease in sexual functioning despite good overall GHS/QOL among our colorectal cancer survivors. Fatigue, sleep loss and urinary frequency were the common symptoms after cancer treatment. Chinese patients had the poorest quality of life.

Download Full-text

Exploring the relationship among dispositional optimism, health-related quality of life, and CIPN severity among colorectal cancer patients with chronic peripheral neuropathy

Supportive Care in Cancer ◽

10.1007/s00520-021-06352-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hester.R. Trompetter ◽

Cynthia S. Bonhof ◽

Lonneke V. van de Poll-Franse ◽

Gerard Vreugdenhil ◽

Floortje Mols

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Peripheral Neuropathy ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Anxiety Symptoms ◽

Health Related Quality ◽

Related Quality ◽

Health Related

Abstract Purpose Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy ((CI)PN) becomes chronic in 30% of cancer patients. Knowledge of predictors of chronic (CI)PN and related impairments in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is lacking. We examined the role of optimism in chronic (CI)PN severity and associated HRQoL in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients up to two years after diagnosis. Methods CRC patients from a prospective cohort study participated, with sensory peripheral neuropathy (SPN) 1 year after diagnosis (n = 142). Multivariable regression analyses examined the cross-sectional association between optimism (measured by the LOT-R) and SPN severity/HRQoL (measured by the EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 and QLQ-C30), as well as the prospective association in a subsample that completed measures 2 years after diagnosis and still experienced SPN (n = 86). Results At 1-year follow-up, higher optimism was associated with better global HRQoL, and better physical, role, emotional, cognitive, and social functioning (all p < .01). Optimism at year one was also prospectively associated with better global HRQoL (p < .05), and emotional and cognitive functioning at 2-year follow-up (both p < .01). Optimism was not related to self-reported SPN severity. Significant associations were retained when controlling for demographic/clinical variables, and became non-significant after controlling for depressive and anxiety symptoms. Conclusions Optimism and depressive and anxiety symptoms are associated with HRQoL in CRC patients with chronic (CI)PN. Future research may illuminate the mechanisms that these factors share, like the use of (non)adaptive coping styles such as avoidance and acceptance that may inform the design of targeted interventions to help patients to adapt to chronic (CI)PN.

Download Full-text

The course of peripheral neuropathy and its association with health-related quality of life among colorectal cancer patients

Journal of Cancer Survivorship ◽

10.1007/s11764-020-00923-6 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Cynthia S. Bonhof ◽

Lonneke V. van de Poll-Franse ◽

Dareczka K. Wasowicz ◽

Laurens V. Beerepoot ◽

Gerard Vreugdenhil ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Peripheral Neuropathy ◽

Health Related Quality ◽

Related Quality ◽

Health Related ◽

Eortc Qlq ◽

The Impact

Abstract Purpose To gain more insight into the course of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) and its impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a population-based sample of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients up to 2 years after diagnosis. Methods All newly diagnosed CRC patients from four hospitals in the Netherlands were eligible for participation in an ongoing prospective cohort study. Patients (n = 340) completed questions on CIPN (EORTC QLQ-CIPN20) and HRQoL (EORTC QLQ-C30) before initial treatment (baseline) and 1 and 2 years after diagnosis. Results Among chemotherapy-treated patients (n = 105), a high sensory peripheral neuropathy (SPN) level was reported by 57% of patients at 1 year, and 47% at 2-year follow-up, whereas a high motor peripheral neuropathy (MPN) level was reported by 47% and 28%, at years 1 and 2, respectively. Linear mixed model analyses showed that SPN and MPN symptoms significantly increased from baseline to 1-year follow-up and did not return to baseline level after 2 years. Patients with a high SPN or MPN level reported a worse global quality of life and a worse physical, role, emotional, cognitive, and social functioning compared with those with a low SPN or MPN level. Conclusions Future studies should focus on understanding the mechanisms underlying CIPN so targeted interventions can be developed to reduce the impact of CIPN on patient’s lives. Implications for cancer survivors Patients need to be informed of both CIPN and the impact on HRQoL.

Download Full-text