TY - JOUR
T1 - Symptoms and seeking supportive care and associations with quality of life after treatment for colon cancer
T2 - Results from the I CARE cohort study
AU - Duineveld, Laura Anna Mieneke
AU - Wieldraaijer, Thijs
AU - Govaert, Marc J. P. M.
AU - Busschers, Wim B.
AU - Wind, Jan
AU - van Asselt, Kristel M.
AU - van Weert, Henk C. P. M.
N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to acknowledge and thank all the patients who participated in this study. The authors would also like to thank the contributing hospitals: Amsterdam Medical Centre, location AMC (Amsterdam), St. Antonius Hospital (Nieuwegein/Utrecht), Flevo Hospital (Almere), Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis (Amsterdam), Tergooi Hospitals (Hilversum/Blaricum), Dijklander Hospital, location Hoorn (Hoorn). This study was funded by KWF Kankerbestrijding/Alpe d'HuZes, (BMA 5954). Funding Information: The authors would like to acknowledge and thank all the patients who participated in this study. The authors would also like to thank the contributing hospitals: Amsterdam Medical Centre, location AMC (Amsterdam), St. Antonius Hospital (Nieuwegein/Utrecht), Flevo Hospital (Almere), Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis (Amsterdam), Tergooi Hospitals (Hilversum/Blaricum), Dijklander Hospital, location Hoorn (Hoorn). This study was funded by KWF Kankerbestrijding/Alpe d'HuZes, (BMA 5954). Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Authors. European Journal of Cancer Care published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
PY - 2022/9
Y1 - 2022/9
N2 - Objective: Patients treated for colon cancer report many symptoms that affect quality of life (QoL). Survivorship care aims at QoL improvement. In this study, we assess associations between symptoms and seeking supportive care and lower QoL and QoL changes overtime during survivorship care. Methods: A prospective cohort of colon cancer survivors. Questionnaires are administered at inclusion and 6 months later to evaluate symptoms, functioning and seeking supportive care including associations with QoL, using the EORTC QLQ-C30. Results: The mean QoL score at the first questionnaire was 82 (scale 1–100), which improved over time. Pain, bowel symptoms and problems in physical, role, cognitive or social functioning are associated with lower QoL at inclusion but are not associated with QoL changes over time. Seeking support for lower bowel symptoms, physical functioning or fatigue is associated with lower QoL. After 6 months, seeking support for upper bowel symptoms or physical functioning is associated with a tendency towards less QoL improvement. Conclusion: QoL of colon cancer survivors improves over 6 months, but seeking support for specific symptoms barely contribute to this improvement. Implications: This study confirms the importance of addressing symptoms, problems related to functioning and seeking supportive care during survivorship care.
AB - Objective: Patients treated for colon cancer report many symptoms that affect quality of life (QoL). Survivorship care aims at QoL improvement. In this study, we assess associations between symptoms and seeking supportive care and lower QoL and QoL changes overtime during survivorship care. Methods: A prospective cohort of colon cancer survivors. Questionnaires are administered at inclusion and 6 months later to evaluate symptoms, functioning and seeking supportive care including associations with QoL, using the EORTC QLQ-C30. Results: The mean QoL score at the first questionnaire was 82 (scale 1–100), which improved over time. Pain, bowel symptoms and problems in physical, role, cognitive or social functioning are associated with lower QoL at inclusion but are not associated with QoL changes over time. Seeking support for lower bowel symptoms, physical functioning or fatigue is associated with lower QoL. After 6 months, seeking support for upper bowel symptoms or physical functioning is associated with a tendency towards less QoL improvement. Conclusion: QoL of colon cancer survivors improves over 6 months, but seeking support for specific symptoms barely contribute to this improvement. Implications: This study confirms the importance of addressing symptoms, problems related to functioning and seeking supportive care during survivorship care.
KW - cancer survivors
KW - colorectal cancer
KW - quality of life
KW - supportive care
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85128808336&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1111/ecc.13601
DO - https://doi.org/10.1111/ecc.13601
M3 - Article
C2 - 35470519
SN - 0961-5423
VL - 31
JO - European journal of cancer care
JF - European journal of cancer care
IS - 5
M1 - e13601
ER -