A growing number of surgical trials include quality of life variables
in the overall assessment of outcomes. This is believed to broaden the
criteria for choice of treatment and the evaluation of treatment regi
mens. The present study is a baseline evaluation of the health-related
quality of life in patients with gastric cancer facing surgery. The q
uality of life in these patients was related to that of other patient
groups referred for surgical interventions and general population grou
ps. Our study included 103 consecutive patients with carcinoma of the
stomach considered amenable to a curative major surgical procedure. Th
e quality of life evaluation was based on a battery of questionnaires,
covering general body symptoms, mood level and functional limitations
. Patients with gastric cancer reported more neurasthenic complaints s
uch as reduced sexual interest, insomnia and poor appetite as well as
a lower mood level than the general population. The gastric cancer gro
up also showed a markedly lower mood level in comparison with a group
of cancer survivors 2-3 years after diagnosis and patients with interm
ittent claudication. The mental well-being of gastric cancer patients
matched that of cancer survivors with one or more recurrences. Overall
, 25% of the gastric cancer patients reported functional limitations r
egarded as clinically significant. Patients with intermittent claudica
tion reported more and patients with small cell lung cancer markedly m
ore limitations. We conclude that although patients with gastric cance
r showed a low level of limitations on average, problems in the areas
of sleep/rest, home management and, especially, eating were frequently
reported.