Systematic review of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) issues associated with gastric cancer: capturing cross-cultural differences

Abstract

The treatment landscape for gastric cancer (GC) is constantly evolving with therapies affecting all aspects of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) which need careful monitoring. While there are HRQoL measures designed specifically to capture issues relevant to patients with GC, these might be outdated and only relevant to patients in westernised cultures. This review identifies the patient-reported measures used to assess HRQoL of patients with GC and compares the HRQoL measures used across cultures including East Asia, where GC is more prevalent. We conducted a systematic review of publications between January 2001 and January 2021. A total of 267 papers were identified; the majority (66%) of studies involved patients from East Asian countries. Out of the 24 HRQoL questionnaires captured, the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Cancer measure (QLQ-C30) was the most widely used (60% of all studies and 62% of those involving patients from East Asian countries), followed by its gastric cancer-specific module (QLQ-STO22, 34% of all studies and 41% from East Asia). Eight questionnaires were developed within East Asian countries and, of the 20 studies including bespoke questions, 16 were from East Asia. There were six qualitative studies. HRQoL issues captured include diarrhoea, constipation, reflux, abdominal pain and abdominal fulness or bloating, difficulty swallowing, restricted eating, and weight loss. Psychosocial issues related to these problems were also assessed. Issues relating to the compatibility of some of the westernised measures within East Asian cultures were highlighted.

Revisiting the use of the EORTC QLQ-STO22 to assess health-related quality of life of patients with gastric cancer: incorporating updated treatment options and cross-cultural perspectives

“…Issues relating to the compatibility of some of the Westernized measures (including the QLQ-STO22) within the East Asian cultures were highlighted, e.g., linguistic equivalence of questions asking about eating restrictions and bloating sensations and cultural acceptability of issues relating to family and practical problems, spiritual and religious beliefs, and sexuality. For a full list of issues captured and measures identified in the review, see Rowsell et al [ 18 ].…”

“…The advent of GC specific HRQoL measures such as the QLQ-ST022, available around the time of Kaptein et al’s review [ 12 ], was heralded as having the potential of offering a gold-standard HRQoL assessment in patients with GC and ensuring that HRQoL is fully embedded within outcome assessments for this patient group. Our subsequent review of publications between 2001 and 2021 [ 18 ] highlights the increased focus on HRQoL in GC: 267 papers were included in our review compared with 26 studies captured by Kaptein et al [ 12 ]. Out of the 24 measures identified in our review, the EORTC measurement system represented the most favored approach with 60 and 34% of studies using the QLQ-C30 and QLQ-STO22 respectively [ 18 ].…”

“…Our subsequent review of publications between 2001 and 2021 [ 18 ] highlights the increased focus on HRQoL in GC: 267 papers were included in our review compared with 26 studies captured by Kaptein et al [ 12 ]. Out of the 24 measures identified in our review, the EORTC measurement system represented the most favored approach with 60 and 34% of studies using the QLQ-C30 and QLQ-STO22 respectively [ 18 ].…”

Global status of research on gastrointestinal cancer patients’ quality of life: A bibliometric and visual analysis from 2003 to 2023

“…In recent decades, a growing number of researchers have been paying attention to GI cancer patients’ QoL, including the development, translation, and validation of measurement tools [ [8] , [9] , [10] ], the investigation of the current status and influencing factors of QoL [ 11 , 12 ], the exploration of pathways that affect QoL [ 13 , 14 ], the trial of treatment methods [ 15 , 16 ] and interventions [ 17 , 18 ] for QoL. Although there have been some qualitative reviews summarizing the efficacy of treatment methods [ 19 , 20 ], the effectiveness of interventions such as diet, exercise, and nursing modes [ [21] , [22] , [23] ], as well as the measurement tools [ 24 , 25 ], status [ 24 , 26 ], and influencing factors [ [27] , [28] , [29] ] of QoL, the research direction and hotspots in this field are still unclear, and the bibliometric method has not been applied to quantitatively describe the research status of QoL for GI cancer survivors.…”

Gastric Cancer Patients’ Pathology and Diagnostic Laparoscopy Evaluation

“…Gastric cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally (1). Despite declining trends in recent decades, gastric cancer has become a significant concern due to its high incidence of more than 1 million cases annually, unfavorable survival rates, and considerable adverse effects on patients' quality of life (1,2).…”