Carcinogenesis, Teratogenesis & Mutagenesis ›› 2017, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (6): 437-444,449.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-616x.2017.06.007

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Evaluation of the quality of life among esophageal cancer patients who received chemotherapy

HE Shuzhi1,2, ZHAO Yue1, LIU Yang1, YANG Liucai1, CHEN Ping3, LIU Ran4   

  1. 1. Jiangsu Vocational College of Medicine, Yancheng 224001;
    2. Yancheng Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Yancheng 224001;
    3. Yancheng City No.1 Peoples Hospital, Yancheng 224001;
    4. Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China
  • Received:2017-08-22 Revised:2017-10-24 Online:2017-11-30 Published:2017-11-30

Abstract: OBJECTIVE:To assess the quality of life of advanced esophageal cancer patients who received chemotherapy in the Yancheng area,China and to guide the choice of clinical chemotherapy regimens. METHODS:Data on demographic information,disease and treatment,quality of life scale and EORTC QOL-C30 scale were collected from 49 new primary esophageal cancer cases undergoing chemotherapy. Data were collected at one day before chemotherapy and one week,four weeks after chemotherapy. According to five functional areas and three semiotic areas including six single measurement items,and one general health area,scores of QOL were changed into standard measure to analyze demographic data,disease characteristic,patients' QOL before and after chemotherapy and factors influencing patients' QOL undergoing chemotherapy. Software 17.0 was applied to describe and to analyze data including demographic data,disease characteristic,patients' QOL before and after chemotherapy and factors influencing patients' QOL undergoing chemotherapy. RESULTS:Compared with one day before chemotherapy,function score improved one week after chemotherapy. But symptoms of vomit and nausea,pain,insomnia,diarrhea and financial difficulty got worse in general after chemotherapy(P < 0.05). Except social support function,function score increased,and somatic symptoms aggravated more significantly 4 weeks after chemotherapy than that of one day before chemotherapy(P < 0.05). Compared with one week after chemotherapy,physical,role and overall functions improved 4 weeks after chemotherapy(P < 0.05). But symptoms of vomit and nausea,loss of appetite and diarrhea got worse (P < 0.05). Quality of life was related to age,educational level,residence clinical stage,and different routes of metastasis. CONCLUSION:Patients' quality of life after undergoing chemotherapy was affected by duration of chemotherapy,age and educational level,which can be improved by selecting individual scheme and adopting comprehensive management.

Key words: esophageal cancer, chemotherapy, quality of life, evaluation

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