Impact of invasive bladder cancer and orthotopic urinary diversion on general health-related quality of life: An SF-36 survey

Bladder cancer is a common type of genitourinary cancer, and radical cystectomy with urinary diversion is considered to be the most effective local treatment for invasive bladder cancer. In order to assess the functional results and health-related quality of life (QOL) in bladder cancer patients with an orthotopic neobladder, and to provide a reasonable basis for the evaluation of urinary diversion in situ, we conducted a study on 96 neobladder patients. In December, 2011, questionnaires were mailed to 96 patients that had undergone urinary diversion surgery between January, 2007 and December, 2009. The questionnaire included the validated health-related QOL questionnaire and the MOS 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). We compared the functional results between patients with an orthotopic neobladder and those with other types of urinary diversion at 6, 12 and 24 months after surgery. Data from 82 patients (54 with orthotopic and 28 with non-orthotopic urinary diversion) were included in the analysis. The SF-36 patient scores following orthotopic urinary diversion were significantly higher than those following non-orthotopic urinary diversion. The majority of patients with orthotopic urinary diversion considered themselves as healthy and their scores of total health were higher compared to those of patients with non-orthotopic urinary diversion. However, there were no differences in the scores of physical functioning between patients with orthotopic and those with non-orthotopic urinary diversion. Our findings regarding health-related QOL and the frequency of complications in the orthotopic and the non-orthotopic urinary diversion groups were similar. However, the mental health of patients with orthotopic urinary diversion was more easily restored compared to that of patients with non-orthotopic urinary diversion, which reduced their overall recovery time.