Quality of life among patients with advanced prostate cancer: a survey using functional assessment of cancer therapy-prostate in China

Abstract

To assess the quality of life of patients with advanced prostate cancer in China and compare the influences of different stage and different forms of therapy. A correspond questionnaire survey, using the Chinese version of functional assessment of cancer therapy-prostate (FACT-P) including 47 questions concerning physical well-being, social/family well-being, relationship with doctor, life quality, and prostate cancer-specific (PCS) life quality, among 45 patients with advanced prostate cancer, aged 68.7 (45-89), who had been hospitalized and underwent endocrine therapy (ET, n = 27), radical prostatectomy and ET (10), ET and external radiation therapy (n = 6), or ET and other drug therapy (n = 2). The quality of life was investigated and the influences of cancer staging and treatment methods on the quality of life were analyzed. Most patients did not have obvious bothering feelings. Most patients and their families accepted the status of illness and got support from others. 91.7% of the patients trusted and relied on their doctors. 39.6% of the patients were able to work and fulfill their work. 60.4% of the patients were content with the quality of their life. 95.8% of them had not been sexually active in the past year. The scores in physical well-being, social/family well-being, life quality, and PCS life quality of the patients in T3 stage were all significant higher than those of the patients in T4 stage (all P < 0.05). However, there were no difference in functional assessment of cancer therapy-general (FACT-G) and PCS life quality among the 3 different treatments (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION; The physical wellbeing and life quality of the patients with prostate cancer at the T5 stage are significantly better than those of the patients at T4 stage. Different forms of therapy have equal influence on the FACT-G and PCS.