Preoperative Quality of Life in Patients with Gastric Cancer

PURPOSE We evaluated the socio-personal and clinical factors that can affect preoperative quality of life to determine how to improve preoperative quality of life in patients with gastric cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS The preoperative quality of life data of 200 patients (68 females and 132 males; mean age 58.9±12.6 years) with gastric cancer were analyzed according to socio-personal and clinical factors. The Korean versions of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire Core (QLQ) 30 and the EORTC QLQ-STO22, a gastric cancer-specific module, were used to assess quality of life. Patients were asked to complete the questionnaire preoperatively by themselves. RESULTS Patients with a higher academic background and stage I disease tended to have higher global health status scores. Highly educated younger men had better physical functioning scores. Highly educated and well-nourished patients with stage I cancer had higher role functioning scores. Married patients had better emotional scores. The symptom scales were affected by sex, age, education level, nutrition, and cancer stage. CONCLUSIONS Preoperative quality of life in patients with gastric cancer can be improved by nutritional support and treatment of symptoms caused by disease progression. Psychological support may be helpful for patients with a poor quality of life.