Long-term quality of life profile in oncology: a comparison between cancer survivors and the general population

Abstract

Purpose Understanding the quality of life (QoL) of cancer survivors is relevant to both clinical practice and health care policy. The current study compared the QoL profile in this specific population with that of a normative sample for the general population, as well as with those of both healthy and oncological patients normative sub-samples. In addition, associations between the obtained QoL profile and the main socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of the sample were examined. Methods Three hundred and ninety-two adult long-term cancer survivors (i.e., people 5 + years from their cancer diagnosis who were free from it and its treatments) were enrolled during follow-up visits and compiled the Short Form 36 Health Survey. Results In comparison with the normative data for the adult general population, the present sample showed lower scores in Physical functioning, Role-physical limitation, and Roleemotional limitations (all differences were both statistically and clinically significant); the difference in Vitality was only statistically significant. In all eight SF-36 scales, scores of the present sample were clinically and statistically lower than those of the normative healthy subsample, whereas they were statistically and clinically higher than those of normative subsample which had experienced cancer, except for Rolephysical limitation. The QoL profile was associated with gender (p = 0.002), age (p = 0.001), education (p < 0.001), occupational status (p < 0.001), and the presence of other health issues (p < 0.001). Conclusion These data support the utility of rehabilitative programs which integrate both healthcare and social interventions. In addition, they encourage the monitoring of the health status of this specific population, within a broad frame which simultaneously takes into consideration health and QoL.

Psychosocial risks at the workplace and quality of life in cancer survivors in employment

“…The lack of communication between survivor and co‐worker can be a barrier to successful working life after diagnosis, limiting the meaning of work and its role in recovery. Furthermore, previous research has found differences between the QoL of cancer survivors and their peers even in the long term, which were confirmed in our results. Also here, employed cancer survivors, who had been diagnosed at least 2 years earlier, presented a lower overall QoL than the general population.…”

Age-specific health-related quality of life in long-term and very long-term colorectal cancer survivors versus population controls – a population-based study

“…Moreover, that sample had higher levels of education when compared with our study sample. It has been previously shown that cancer survivors with higher education tend to report better HRQOL [19,20]. The Canadian sample was older than our sample.…”

Quality of Life of Cancer Patients Treated with Chemotherapy

“…It is related to an individual, subjective approach to the patient and allows for the assessment of the impact of disease and treatment on functioning of the patient and their relatives in terms of physical, mental and social well-being. The purposefulness of measuring the quality of life in cancer patients was demonstrated by Montazieri, who stated that the global quality of life of patients before starting oncological treatment is an important predictor of survival [ 19 , 20 , 21 ]. Similarly, Li et al, based on a sample of over 400 cancer patients, presented results proving that health-related quality of life is a strong and independent predictor of overall survival [ 22 ].…”