Effects of chemotherapy on the health-related quality of life of Japanese lower rectal cancer patients after sphincter-saving surgery

Abstract

We examined the effects of adjuvant chemotherapy on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of lower rectal cancer patients receiving sphincter-saving surgery (SSS). In all, 109 patients completed a questionnaire before surgery and 1, 6, and 12 months afterwards. In the chemotherapy group, physical and social functioning scores were significantly lower 12 months after surgery compared with the nonchemotherapy group. These effects of adjuvant chemotherapy suggest that a different clinical approach might more effectively improve physical and social functioning in lower-rectal cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Healthcare providers should be alert for adverse events in patients with lower-rectal cancer and promptly address such conditions.

Systematic review of longitudinal studies on chemotherapy‐associated subjective cognitive impairment in cancer patients

“…In one study, group differences in longitudinal changes in SCI were unconfirmed in a multivariate model . Five studies reported no differences in longitudinal changes in SCI between the CTX group and non‐CTX patients or healthy controls . No differences emerged in three non–breast‐cancer studies and in two studies with a follow‐up at least 1 year posttreatment .…”

“…These modeling techniques are strong in examining the association of changing patterns of dependent and moderator variables and may provide more robust and conclusive evidence of moderating effects in the chemotherapy‐SCI relationship. Researchers also used paired t tests, repeated‐measures analysis of variance (ANOVA)/multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), and the nonparametric Kruskal‐Wallis test to compare mean differences of SCI at two or more time points in one or more groups. When using analytical approaches based on group means, individual variability in longitudinal changes over time may not be considered fully; mean change may be underestimated because of sample variability .…”