Background:
The population of advanced gastric cancer is in a majority of the total gastric cancer population, and total gastrectomy is still commonly used in China. Postoperative quality of life of these patients is our concern.
Aim:
To investigate the quality of life in patients after total gastrectomy with EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-STO22 questionnaires.
Methods:
Two hundred and four gastric cancer patients were recruited into the present study, who underwent the Roux-en-Y reconstruction and the functional jejunal interposition reconstruction after total gastrectomy. EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-STO22 were employed to evaluate the quality of life in these subjects. All patients included in this study were received the questionnaires of quality of life after surgery in one month, three months, six months, nine months to twelve months respectively.
Results:
Quality of life scores in the patients have different degrees in four symptom scales such as dysphagia, pain, regurgitation and anxiety in the QLQ-STO22 questionnaire. In the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire, the scores of global health status are not high, and all patients have different degree of fatigue. At the same time, the scores in physical and role functional scales extended increased over time. There was not much statistical difference between Roux-en-Y reconstruction and the functional jejunal interposition reconstruction, except for Insomnia and regurgitation.
Conclusions:
Quality of life in patients with gastric cancer after total gastrectomy still has a certain problem. These patients need guidance in diet, etc.