Health-related quality of life of colorectal cancer patients receiving oral UFT plus leucovorin compared with those with surgery alone.

BACKGROUND: Adjuvant chemotherapy of oral uracil/ftorafur (UFT) plus leucovorin (LV) has been accepted as the standard of care in the treatment of patients with stage II and III carcinoma of the colon. The objective of the study was to compare HRQOL reported by patients receiving oral UFT plus LV (UFT/LV group) versus no adjuvant treatment (control group) following surgery for colorectal cancer.

METHODS: Ninety nine patients in the UFT/LV group and 83 in the control group participated. HRQOL was assessed with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 and HRQOL data measured longitudinally following surgery were compared between the groups.

RESULTS: Eighty-eight percent (87 of 99) received all scheduled doses of UFT plus LV during the first three cycles, and 82 percent (81 of 99) did so for five cycles. The most common type of toxicity in the UFT/LV group was fatigue, which was generally mild. Six patients each had grade 3 diarrhea or anorexia. There were significant differences in the scores for role function, and specific limitations such as fatigue, nausea, and vomiting, dyspnoea, appetite loss, and financial difficulties, which deteriorated in the UFT/LV group.

CONCLUSIONS: HRQOL in colorectal cancer patients with adjuvant chemotherapy with oral UFT plus LV deteriorated during this phase of treatment compared with those with surgery alone, despite the biased stage of tumor between the groups. Symptom management and social support would improve HRQOL in such a group of patients.