Life In Cervical Cancer Survivors Research Articles

Psychological Distress and Quality of Life in Cervical Cancer Survivors After Radiotherapy

The present study evaluated whether differences in the type of radiotherapy, disease stage, and self-esteem influence psychological distress and quality of life (QOL) among cervical cancer survivors. Sixty survivors, after radiotherapy, chemoradiotherapy, or postoperative radiotherapy for cervical cancer, participated in the study. The participants were asked to complete questionnaires during follow-up visits. The questionnaires included the Japanese version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General, and the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale. The results indicated that psychological distress and QOL in cervical cancer survivors were not significantly different among treatment modalities and disease stage. Psychological distress and QOL differed significantly in accordance with the survivor's self-esteem. Survivors in the high self-esteem group had lower levels of anxiety and depression and higher QOL scores (emotional and social/family aspects of QOL and total QOL) than those in the low self-esteem group. Psychosocial support with consideration of a patient's self-esteem is necessary throughout and beyond radiotherapy for cervical cancer.

Health-Related Quality of Life in Cervical Cancer Survivors: A Population-Based Survey

In a population-based sample of cervical cancer survivors, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed 2-10 years postdiagnosis. All patients given a diagnosis of cervical cancer in 1995-2003 in the Eindhoven region, The Netherlands, and alive after Jan 2006 were identified through the cancer registry. Generic HRQoL (36-Item Short-Form Health Survey, EQ-5D), cervical cancer-specific HRQoL (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality-of-Life questionnaire cervical cancer module), and anxiety (6-item State Trait Anxiety Inventory) were assessed and compared with a reference population (n = 349). Data for tumor characteristics at diagnosis and disease progression were available. A total of 291 women responded (69%), with a mean age of 53 +/- 13 (SD) years (range, 31-88 years). Treatment had consisted of surgery (n = 195) or a combination of therapies (n = 75); one woman had not been treated. Of all women, 85% were clinically disease free, 2% had a recurrence/metastasis, and in 13%, this was unknown. After controlling for background characteristics (age, education, job and marital status, having children, and country of birth), generic HRQoL scale scores were similar to the reference population, except for worse mental health in survivors. The most frequent symptoms were crampy pain in the abdomen or belly (17%), urinary leakage (15%), menopausal symptoms (18%), and problems with sexual activity. Compared with the 6-10-year survivors, more sexual worry and worse body image were reported by the 2-5-year survivors. Compared with surgery only, especially primary radiotherapy was associated with an increased frequency of treatment-related side effects, also after controlling for age and disease stage at diagnosis and follow-up. Most cervical cancer survivors were coping well, although their mental health was worse than in the reference population. Even after 2-10 years, radiotherapy was associated with an increased frequency of treatment-related side effects.

5044 POSTER Quality of life in cervical cancer survivors treated with chemoradiotherapy

Increasing survival rates of cervical cancer (CC) patients and the trend towards more toxic multimodal therapy have led to focus on the quality of life (QOL) of cervical cancer survivors (CCSs). The aim of this critical review was to summarize and discuss the research findings of QOL in CCSs based on self-report measures in terms of physical, psychosocial, and sexual well-being.Electronic databases were used to identify studies published between 1966 and August 2005. A quality assessment using methodological and treatment-related criteria was performed to distinguish between studies with good and less good methodology.Twenty-three studies were included, whereof eight had a good methodology. Eight studies used at least one questionnaire that had not been validated previously, and only one of the validated questionnaires had been tested in former studies of CCSs. The studies with good methodology focused primarily on sexual and social function after treatment, and less on physical and psychological well-being. The trend is that radiotherapy is more associated with reduced QOL dimensions than surgery or chemotherapy. In earlier stages of CC and following surgery alone, there seem to be minor differences between CCSs and control groups concerning various QOL domains.Reviewed studies indicate that quality of life in cervical cancer survivors is reduced compared to the general female population following radiotherapy, but less so following surgery and earlier stages of cervical cancer. Shortcomings of both methodology and content of the studies reviewed preclude definite conclusions concerning QOL for the moment.