Patient-reported Quality of Life (QOL) in Unfavorable-Risk Prostate Cancer: Sexual Function Recovery after External Beam Radiation (RT) and 6 months of Androgen Deprivation

PURPOSE This study was designed to obtain representative estimates of the quality of life and probabilities of possible adverse effects among Medicare-age patients treated with external-beam radiation therapy for prostate cancer. METHODS Patients treated for local or regional prostate cancer with high-energy external-beam radiation between 1989 and 1991 were sampled from a claims data base of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program from three regions. Patients were surveyed primarily by mail, with telephone follow-up evaluation of non-respondents. There were 621 respondents (83% response rate). The results were compared with data from a previously published national survey of Medicare-age men who had undergone radical prostatectomy. RESULTS Although they were older at the time of treatment, radiation patients were less likely than surgical patients to wear pads for wetness (7% v 32%) and had a lower rate of impotence (23% v 56% for men < 70 years), while they were more likely to report problems with bowel dysfunction (10% v 4%). Both groups reported generally positive feelings about their treatments. Radiation and surgical patients reported similar rates of additional subsequent treatment (24% v 26% at 3 years after primary treatment). However, radiation patients were less likely to say they were cancer-free, and they reported more worry about cancer than did surgical patients. CONCLUSION The health-related quality of life of radiation and surgical patients, on average, is similar, but the pattern of experience with adverse consequences of treatment differs by treatment.

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Quality of life in intermediate or high risk prostate cancer patients treated by 3-D external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy with or without androgen deprivation

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2006.24.18_suppl.14587 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 24 (18_suppl) ◽

pp. 14587-14587

Author(s):

B. Guix ◽

T. M. Lacorte ◽

F. Guedea

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Prostate Cancer ◽

High Risk ◽

Sexual Function ◽

External Beam Radiotherapy ◽

External Beam ◽

High Risk Prostate Cancer ◽

Risk Prostate Cancer

14587 Background: To elucidate long-term changes in health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) outcomes by prospectively re-evaluating a cohort of intermediate- or high-risk prostate cancer patients treated by a combination of 3-D External Beam Radiotherapy (EBRT) and Brachytherapy (BT) with or without androgen deprivation (AD). Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to 200 consecutive patients with intermediate (Gleason 7 or PSA 10–20 or T2A-B) or high (Gleason >7 and/or PSA >20 and/or >T2B) - Risk Prostate cancer who were treated by EBRT to the prostate followed by BT to the prostate given either by permanent 125-I seeds (LDR) or high dose rate (HDR) implants before treatment and at 6 months interval during 4 years follow-up. The EORTC CLQ-C30 with the PR-25 module was employed. HRQOL was compared among therapy groups. Comparisons between therapy groups was performed using regression models to control covariates. HRQOL of treatment parameters were evaluated. Distribution of responses for bowel-, urinary- and sexual-related functions were analyzed. Results: 200 patients completed the questionnaires. Significant changes in HRQOL were found depending of the time after treatment. After a temporal decline in HRQOL, an improvement owas found during the first 18 months after end of treatment. Significant improvement in the urinary irritative-obstructive performance (p < 0.006) was found after 6 months post-treatment. Bowel domains worsened after therapies (p < 0,05) but improved after 18 months follow-up (p < 0.02). Overall sexual HRQOL deteriorated depending greatly on treatment (p < 0.008). Patients who were given AD presented a significant lower Sexual Function values, that were difficult to recover after AD cessation (p < 0.007). No differences in HRQOL were found between LDR or HDR BT implants. Satisfaction with either treatment was high. Conclusions: After a decline in HRQOL after treatment, it recovered fully during follow-up. In patients treated by AD, sexual function was the most adversely affected quality-of-life domain. Sexual impairment induced by AD was difficult to recover. These results may be of assistance to men and to clinicians when making treatment decisions, mainly relating AD. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

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