QoL of Colorectal Cancer Patients and Spouses

There is no doubt that radical colorectal surgery improves the oncological outcomes of patients with cancer. However, the literature has clearly documented that social, physical, sexual, and psychological aspects of life, as well as religious worship, are severely impaired after this treatment. A significant portion of patients suffer from alterations in their quality of life (QoL), particularly after surgery on distal rectal tumors. Patients who require a stoma or who have low anterior resection syndrome may face difficulty adapting to their new anatomy, managing the stoma, defecating, and continuing normal activities in their sociocultural environment. Patients pay an immense price following both sphincter-saving and sphincter-sacrificing surgery. Moreover, these psychological and social difficulties, as well as sexual dysfunction, may affect patients' relationships with their spouses, who are generally the primary informal caregivers for patients with cancer. In addition to caring for their sick partners, the spouses also have to deal with their own anxiety, fatigue, and depression.The aim of the present prospective, comparative study was to compare the quality of life (QoL) of patients after colorectal surgery to the QoL of their spouses. Groups Patients and their spouses were grouped by the type of surgery they received: abdominoperineal resection (APR), sphincter-saving resection with an anastomosis within 6 cm of the anal verge on rigid sigmoidoscopy (LAR), or anterior resection with anastomosis at or above 7 cm, including sigmoid colectomy (AR). The study included patients who underwent curative surgery for colorectal carcinoma (n = 100; abdominoperineal excision \[n = 33\], low anterior resection \[n = 33\], left hemicolectomy \[n = 34\]) and their spouses (n = 100). The patients and spouses completed the Medical Outcome Study 36-item Short Form Survey (SF-36) and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule II (WHODAS-II) preoperatively and at postoperative months 15 to 18. Counseling Surgical details, possible complications, and temporary or permanent stoma formation were explained preoperatively by the surgeon, and ostomy education was given by the stomatherapist. Religious education and counseling were also performed. Patients had direct access to doctors, the stomatherapist, appliance suppliers, and a religious leader (Imam) at the hospital during the study period. Interviews Patients and spouses were interviewed at the Department of Surgery of Ibni Sina Hospital. The coauthors of the study were trained to administer the questionnaires in a standard fashion and practiced by using the questionnaires on healthy volunteers before the study began. Patients and spouses were interviewed in a private room by a person of the same gender. The same interviewer was used in the preoperative and postoperative period for each patient and spouse, but the interviewer was not blinded to the type of surgery that the patient had undergone. Patients were first asked to complete a demographic questionnaire designed to determine their age, gender, marital status, educational level, income level, and preoperative employment. The SF-36, WHODAS-II, and Ankara University Life Standards Questionnaire were administered together and consisted of a total of 92 items, which took approximately 35 to 45 minutes to complete. Both patients and spouses completed the SF-36, WHODAS-II, and Ankara University Life Standards Questionnaire preoperatively and at postoperative months 15 to 18.