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Comorbid conditions and health-related quality of life in long-term cancer survivors-associations with demographic and medical characteristics.
- Source :
- Journal of Cancer Survivorship; Oct2018, Vol. 12 Issue 5, p712-720, 9p
- Publication Year :
- 2018
-
Abstract
- <bold>Purpose: </bold>Our study provides a detailed overview of comorbid conditions and health-related quality of life of long-term cancer survivors and analyses the impact of demographic, disease- and treatment-related characteristics.<bold>Methods: </bold>We present data obtained from 1000 survivors across mixed tumour entities 5 and 10 years after cancer diagnosis in a cross-sectional study. We analyse the prevalence of physical symptoms and health conditions via self-report and health-related quality of life using the EORTC QLQ-C30 in comparison to gender- and age-matched reference values of the general population.<bold>Results: </bold>Cancer survivors reported on average 5 comorbidities; 23% had 7 or more comorbid conditions. Cancer survivors reported higher physical symptom burden than the population-especially fatigue, insomnia and pain. Type and prevalence of long-term and late effects differ with disease-related factors (e.g. cancer type, treatment) and characteristics of the patient. Cancer survivors also reported lower quality of life than the population, especially in everyday activities, social life, psychological well-being and financial difficulties. There was a positive association between high quality of life and a low level of morbidity.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>The specific knowledge about physical long-term consequences for the individual types of cancer could raise awareness in health care professionals for high-risk patients and help to develop adequate prevention and survivorship-programs.<bold>Implications For Cancer Survivors: </bold>Limitations in the mental health area underlines the importance of psycho-oncological survivorship-care-plans, which go beyond the time of rehabilitation. Special attention should be given to the financial situation of patients in long-term follow-up care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 19322259
- Volume :
- 12
- Issue :
- 5
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Cancer Survivorship
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 131927511
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-018-0708-6