Quality of life after cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy: an Asian perspective.

BACKGROUND

Data on quality of life (QOL) after cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS + HIPEC) is scarce in the Asian population. This study assesses QOL outcomes after CRS and HIPEC in an Asian cancer center.

METHODS

Patients who completed CRS + HIPEC 6-18 months ago (27 patients) were enrolled in the study. QOL was measured via the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 questionnaires. The scores were compared with a group of 393 disease-free cancer patients, not on active treatment, who had ECOG scores of either 0 or 1. The 1-sample t test was used to compare differences in QOL scores between the 2 groups.

RESULTS

A total of 27 patients were analyzed, of which 22 (81 %) were females. Median age was 51 years (15-59 years). CRS + HIPEC were performed for ovarian cancer in 15 patients (55 %), appendiceal carcinoma in 5 patients (19 %), and colorectal carcinoma in 4 patients (15 %). The median intraoperative peritoneal carcinomatosis index (PCI) score was 15 (2-31) while the completeness of CC score was 0 and 1 in 25 and 2 patients, respectively. The median duration after CRS + HIPEC was 10 months (6-16 months). Global health status and functional and symptom scores were largely similar between patients after CRS + HIPEC and the control group. Cognitive functioning scores and fatigue scores were significantly better in the group after CRS + HIPEC (p = 0.014 and 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

QOL after CRS and HIPEC can be equivalent to that of well-functioning, disease-free cancer patients.