Quality of Life in RECTal Cancer - a Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study
- Conditions
- Rectal CancerSurgeryQuality of Life
- Registration Number
- NCT01477229
- Lead Sponsor
- Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden
- Brief Summary
Rectal cancer is a common type of cancer occuring more frequently in men but also common in women. Almost 60% of the patients survive 5-years and the treatment has been continuously developed in the last three decades. The aim of the QoLiRECT study is to increase the knowledge about symptoms, functional impairments, quality of life (QoL) and psychological and socioeconomic burden in an unselected population of rectal cancer patients.
- Detailed Description
Rectal cancer is more frequent in men than in women and is relatively uncommon before the age of 50. The prognosis for rectal cancer has improved over the last decades2. Almost 60% of all patients survive more than five years, and because of advances in early detection and treatment, this number is expected to increase in the future1. Treatment of rectal cancer varies depending on the stage of the disease at diagnosis. For some patients, operation is the only treatment. For others, surgery is combined with radiotherapy, chemotherapy or both. The two most common operative procedures are the sphincter-preserving anterior resection (AR) and the abdominoperineal resection (APR) - the latter results in a permanent colostomy. Patients with generalised disease at diagnosis receive palliative treatment, which may include chemotherapy and radiotherapy as well as surgery.
Rectal cancer comes with a high risk of local recurrence, i.e. return of the tumour within the pelvis after a presumed curative resection. Local recurrence is difficult to treat and often very painful and distressing for the patient. Some local recurrences will be candidates for second line surgery, as is also true for some distant metastases.
The aim of the QoLiRECT study is to increase the knowledge about symptoms, functional impairments, quality of life (QoL) and psychological and socioeconomic burden in an unselected population of rectal cancer patients. Symptoms such as incontinence, pain, fatigue and impaired sexual function3 are common with this disease. Bodily changes, caused by the treatment or the disease itself, may lead to functional impairments and psychological, social, emotional and economical restraints. Conventional outcome measures such as morbidity and survival reveal little about these things.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 1500
- All patients presenting at the participating hospitals with newly diagnosed rectal cancer, regardless of stage at diagnosis and plans for treatment, will be eligible for inclusion.
- Age below 18 years at diagnosis.
- No informed consent received or withdrawal of informed consent.
Study & Design
- Study Type
- OBSERVATIONAL
- Study Design
- Not specified
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method To describe QoL, symptoms and functional impairments in an unselected population of rectal cancer patients At diagnosis It will be evaluated at diagnosis, , i.e. at presentation of a plan for the treatment, at 12 months after start of the treatment, regardless of which, at 24 months after start of the treatment and at 60 months after start of the treatment
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method To identify symptoms and functional impairments and other risk factors that have great impact on QoL At diagnosis will also be assessed at 12 months after start of the treatment, regardless of which, at 24 months after start of the treatment and at 60 months after start of the treatment
To explore potential differences in QoL, symptoms and functional impairments between subgroups of the population At diagnosis and at 12 months, 36 months and 60 monts after diagnosis
To identify patient and environmental factors with an impact on QoL At diagnosis and at 12 months after start of the treatment, regardless of which, at 24 months after start of the treatment and at 60 months after start of the treatment
To analyse how clinical factors like oncologic result of operation, morbidity, recurrence and survival influence QoL At 12 months after start of the treatment This will be analyzed regardless of which, at 24 months after start of the treatment and at 60 months after start of the treatment
To initiate interventional studies when appropriate 12 months May be another time frame than the one registered. Depends on results from the QoL questionnaire
To explore the presence and impact of intrusive thoughts on QoL At 12 months May be analyzed both at 24 and 60 months as well
To generate basic descriptive data of the rectal cancer patient population: demography, socioeconomic data, disease stage at diagnosis, fashion of treatment, recurrence, survival At diagnosis To analyse health economy aspects of QoL and morbidity in the patient population At diagnosis and at 12 months after start of the treatment, regardless of which, at 24 months after start of the treatment and at 60 months after start of the treatment
QoL in an unselected population of rectal cancer patients at 12 months
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Scandinavian Surgical Outcomes Research Group, SSORG, Göteborg
🇸🇪Gothenburg, Sweden