Factors determining functional capacity in patients with colorectal cancer

OBJECTIVE: To identify the factors determining functional capacity(FC) and examine the relationships among the measured parameters(level of physical activity-PA, fatigue, quality of life-QoL, anxiety/depression status-ADS) in patients with colorectal cancer. METHOD: 42 patients diagnosed as stage II-III colorectal cancer were included the study. FC were assessed by ?six-minute walk test(6MWT)?, the level of PA by ?Eastern Coorperative Oncology Group Performance Scale(ECOG-PS)?, fatigue level by ?Brief Fatigue Inventory(BFI)?, QoL by ?Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Colorectal(FACT-C)?, ADS by Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADS). RESULTS: %61.9(n=26) were stage II and %38.1(n=16) were stage III from the patients of whom 54.8%(n=23) were male and 45.2%(n=19) were female. Maximum distance walked(6MWD) in 6MWT was 382.51±74.36 meters. In the created linear regression model, ?the variable ECOG-PS score? was the only significant predictor of 6MWD, by describing 34.8% of the variation. As it is established that there is negative way, medium power and significant correlation between 6MWD and ECOG-PS score(p=0.001,r=-0.415); negative way, medium power and significant correlation between 6MWD and the effect of fatigue in daily living activities(p=0.013,r=-0.379), and positive way, medium power and significant correlation between 6MWD and QoL were found(p=0.016,r=0.369). CONCLUSION: Assessment of the level of physical activity is essential in determining functional capacity in patients with colorectal cancer. Increasing the level of physical activity, reducing the impact of fatigue in activities of daily living and improving the quality of life may be effective for improving the functional capacity. It is thought to be useful that planned treatment program should include physiotherapy and rehabilitation applications to achieve these objectives.