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Disease-specific symptoms and general quality of life of patients with prostate carcinoma before and after primary three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy

  1. Ilene Staff Ph.D.1,†,‡,*,
  2. Andrew Salner M.D.2,
  3. Richard Bohannon Ed.D.1,‡,
  4. Pauline Panatieri R.N., M.A.2,
  5. Rose Maljanian R.N., M.B.A.1,§

Article first published online: 14 OCT 2003

DOI: 10.1002/cncr.11805

Issue

Cancer

Cancer

Volume 98, Issue 11, pages 2335–2343, 1 December 2003

Additional Information

How to Cite

Staff, I., Salner, A., Bohannon, R., Panatieri, P. and Maljanian, R. (2003), Disease-specific symptoms and general quality of life of patients with prostate carcinoma before and after primary three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy. Cancer, 98: 2335–2343. doi: 10.1002/cncr.11805

Author Information

  1. 1

    Institute for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut

  2. 2

    Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut

  1. †

    Fax: (860) 545-5112

  2. ‡

    Drs. Staff and Bohannon are now with the Research Program, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, Conneticut.

  3. §

    Ms. Maljanian is now with Humana, Inc.

*Research Program, Hartford Hospital, 80 Seymour Street, Hartford, CT 06106

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 17 NOV 2003
  2. Article first published online: 14 OCT 2003
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 22 AUG 2003
  4. Manuscript Revised: 18 AUG 2003
  5. Manuscript Received: 15 APR 2003

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Keywords:

  • prostatic neoplasms;
  • conformal radiotherapy;
  • quality of life;
  • neoadjuvant therapy;
  • impotence

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Approximately 189,000 men are diagnosed with prostate carcinoma each year and more than 1 million are living with the disease. Good prognoses and undesirable sequelae accompany each of several available primary and adjuvant treatment options. The current study explored the effects of primary three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy with or without neoadjuvant hormonal therapy on urinary, bowel, and sexual symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQOL).

METHODS

A prospective, repeated-measures design study included 100 patients. Data from the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Health Survey (a measure of general HRQOL) and a 12-item symptom questionnaire were collected before the start of radiotherapy, approximately 1–3 months after completion of treatment, and again approximately 5–10 months after completion of treatment for follow-up.

RESULTS

Patients reported few urinary symptoms after treatment. Bowel frequency and urgency were reported more frequently posttreatment and at follow-up. Erectile difficulties, which were common pretreatment, were reported with increased frequency posttreatment and at follow-up. General HRQOL scores were higher than age-related general population norms for men at all three data collection times, but there were significant losses posttreatment for patients' physical functioning and vitality. At the 5–10-month follow-up, physical functioning remained lower but vitality scores regained some of the losses. A more extended follow-up is needed. Neoadjuvant therapy, which was received before the pretreatment data collection, had a deleterious effect on erectile functioning but no interactive effects with the radiotherapy on symptoms or HRQOL.

CONCLUSIONS

Although patients with a diagnosis of prostate carcinoma experienced increased bowel and sexual dysfunction and decreased vitality after radiotherapy, their HRQOL scores remained at or above age-related general population norms. Cancer 2003. © 2003 American Cancer Society.

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