Operative Procedures and Quality of Postoperative Life in Patients with Gastric Cancer

Hiroshi Habu, Masashi Kono, Masao Tani, Toru Honda, Fumio Kando, Naoya Saito, Yasushi Sato, Kimiya Takeshita, Masakatsu Sunagawa, Mitsuo Endo

First Department of Surgery, Tokyo Medical and Dental University School of Medicine

To analyze the effects of operative procedures on the quality of life, a questionnaire was mailed to 318 patients who survived more than one year after the resection of gastric cancer. Replies came from 291 patients (92%). The questionnaire consisted of 13 questions which were divided into six items: I Symptom & Doctor's visit, II Meal & Defecation, III Activity & Work, IV Economic state, V Mental state and VI recreation & Friends. Each question was evaluated with scores from 2 (satisfactory) to 0 (unsatisfactory). Statistical differences between the mean scores for each item was examined in the two groups of patients who had undergone different operative procedures. The mean scores for items I, V and VI, and total score in patients who had undergone total gastrectomy (n=82) were significantly lower than those in patients who had had partial distal gastrectomy (n=204). The mean scores for itesm I, III, V and VI, and the total score in patients with combined resection of the neighboring organ (n=43) were statistically lower than those in patients without it (n=248). Presence or absence of thoracotomy yielded no significant difference in the scores for all items. The score of item IV in patients with extended lymph node dissection (N3 or more) was lower than that in patients without it. The scores for all six items in patients having symptom were significantly lower than those in patients without it. To cure the present symptom seems to be effective in improving the quality of the patient's life.

Key words
patients with gastric cancer, operative procedures, quality of postoperative life

Reprint requests
Hiroshi Habu First Department of Surgery, Tokyo Medical and Dental University School of Medicine
1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, ll3 JAPAN

Accepted
November 8, 1989

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