Treatment modality affects long-term quality of life in gynaecological cancer

In order to survey the side effects after cancer treatment, quality of life data were collected from females in clinical remission, Materials and Meth ods: The study was cross-sectional; every patient that visited the outpatie nt clinic during a period of thr ee months was asked to anonymously complet e the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire and five additional specific questions re lated to gynaecological cancel: Results: In total, 235 patients (90%) retur ned the questionnaire In general, both the levels of functioning and sympto matology were time-dependent. Patients with short treatment-free intervals reported more problems than the others. When wing treatment modality as an independent variable in the statistical calculations, a treatment-related e ffect on functioning and symptomatology was demonstrated (p < 0.05 to p < 0 .001). Patients previously treated with chemotherapy had poorer role- and c ognitive functioning and mole problems with fatigue, nausea, vomiting, dysp noea, constipation and financial problems, compared with those not treated with chemotherapy (p < 0.05 to p < 0.01). Those patients who had been treat ed with external radiotherapy and/or brachytherapy had significantly more p roblems with flatulence and diarrhoea (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001). In conclusio n, patients who underwent treatment for gl gynaecological cancer reported l ong-term side effects also many years after finishing treatment. The proble ms where related to treatment modality which should be considered, especial ly when planning adjuvant treatment.