Measurement of the quality of life of patients with total or subtotal gastrectomy due to gastric cancer

Introduction: Gastric cancer is significantly higher in both the World and Turkey. The most important treatment is surgical resection. However, the stomach has very important role in the digestive system; In addition to morbidity and mortality after resection, it causes significant changes in the quality of life. The concept of quality of life, which is of high importance in the medical world, has become an objective rather than a subjective concept. For this purpose, questionnaires were prepared to measure the physical, social and psychological well-being of the patients. EORTC QLQ-C30, EORTC STO22 is one of these questionnares. Material and method: The quality of life of patients who were operated for gastric cancer in Bezmialem Vakif University Health Practice and Research Hospital was measured. The questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30, EORTC STO22) which is used in Europe and in many parts of the World is preffered for measurement of quality of life. Patients who underwent total or subtotal gastrectomy for gastric cancer between October 2010 and April 2018 were screened retrospectively after the approval of the non-invasive ethics committee of 15/183 on 10.07.2018. Demographics, pathology and surgical information were noted. 85 patients who survived these patients and had no recurrence of at least 3 months after the adjuvant treatment were contacted. EORTC QLQ-C30, EORTC STO22 Turkish forms were filled prospectively. Then, TG and SG were compared by statistical methods. Conclusion: According to the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire diarrhea and according to EORTC STO22 questionnaire dysphagia was seen more common in patients performed total gastrectomy. In the light of this information the quality of life of the patients who had been subtotal gastrectomy was found to be higher.