Evaluation of the quality of life of patients with colorectal cancer

SUMMARY INTRODUCTION and OBJECTİVE: This study was planned and carried out to evaluate the quality of life and the factors affecting quality of life in colorectal cancer patients. MATERIALS and METHOD: The descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 110 patients who were treated with colorectal cancer diagnosis in general surgery services and who volunteered to participate in the research between 01.05.2014 and 01.11.2014, after approval of the institutional consent and ethics committee.Survey data were collected using the socio-demographic profile form, EORTC-QLQ C30 and QLQ-CR38 Turkish Quality of Life Forms [European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Questionnaire], Beck Depression Inventory. The analysis and management of the data was done using a computer statistical program. Descriptive statistics (frequency, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, percentile), relationship analyzes (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient), and independent comparisons with parametric tests (Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis test) were used. FINDINGS: The mean age of the patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer was 61.9 ± 10.92 years, %54, 5 had literacy, % 61, 8were male, % 87,3 were married, %72, 7 were living with partner and his children. In %73, 7 of the patients with chronic disease, %20, 9 had a family history of cancer. Surgical treatment was applied to %95, 5 of the subjects included in the study and stoma was opened for %90, 9. Statistically significant differences were found between Demographic characteristics of patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer and EORTC QLQ-C30 quality of life scale; "Physical function", "Role performance", "Emotional function", "Cognitive function", "Social function", "Fatigue", "Nausea-vomiting", "Pain", "Respiratory distress", "Insomnia" , "Loss of appetite", "diarrhea", "financial difficulties", "general health" subgroup scores; and also EORTC QLQ-CR38 quality of life scale; "Body image", "Future expectancy", "Urine problems", "Chemotherapy side effects", "Gastrointestinal symptoms", "Stomata related problems" and "Weight loss" subgroup scores (p <0,05). Patients age, marital status, education level, place of residence, income status, number of children, presence of chronic illness, family history of cancer, chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment and the difference between the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CR38 quality of life scale scores was statistically significant (p<0.05). The difference between the gender and EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CR38 quality of life scale scores was not statistically significant (p> 0.05). The difference between Beck depression scale and marital status and income level was found to be statistically significant (p <0.05). CONCLUSION: According to the results obtained from the study, as the age of colorectal cancer patients progressed and as the number of children increased, the functional status was worse and the incidence of symptom was higher; It was determined that gender did not affect quality of life or depression. Keywords: Colorectal Cancer, Colorectal Surgery, Quality of Life, Scale, Nursing.