Health-related quality of life in long-term survivors of testicular cancer

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Philip Blach Rossen
  • Anette Fischer Pedersen
  • Robert Zachariae
  • Hans von der Maase
PURPOSE: A growing number of patients with testicular cancer (TC) become long-term survivors. As a consequence, quality-of-life (QOL) issues become increasingly important. The objective of this study was to investigate QOL among Danish TC survivors. METHODS: A long-term follow-up assessment of all patients with TC treated at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark between 1990 and 2000 was conducted. A total of 401 survivors (response rate, 66%) completed questionnaires concerning QOL (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30), depression (Beck Depression Inventory-II), fatigue (Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory-20), and health-related issues such as neurotoxic symptoms and Raynaud-like phenomena. On the basis of their treatment, participants were categorized as having received surveillance, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy. RESULTS: QOL among patients with TC was equal to that of men from the general population. Although patients who received chemotherapy reported higher levels of peripheral sensory neuropathy, ototoxicity, and Raynaud-like phenomena, treatment strategies were generally unrelated to QOL and depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Overall, the patients in this study reported high levels of QOL. The results suggest that patients treated for TC should be informed about the anticipated good post-therapeutic QOL and the low risk of psychosocial and physical long-term effects.
Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Clinical Oncology
Volume27
Issue number35
Pages (from-to)5993-9
Number of pages7
ISSN0732-183X
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2009

Bibliographical note

Keywords: Adult; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; Denmark; Depression; Fatigue; Follow-Up Studies; Hearing Disorders; Humans; Logistic Models; Male; Middle Aged; Orchiectomy; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases; Quality of Life; Questionnaires; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; Raynaud Disease; Registries; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Survivors; Testicular Neoplasms; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome

ID: 19367892