Quality of life changes in elderly patients after gastrectomy: perspective of an aged Asian society in the 2010s

Quality of Life of Young Gastric Cancer Survivors: An Interpretation in the Context of Our Society

Background and Objectives: This retrospective case-control study aimed to investigate the quality of life (QoL) of young gastric cancer survivors and determine what should be pursued to obtain the best QoL for them after surgery. Materials and Methods: Patients with stage I gastric cancer who underwent distal subtotal gastrectomy were included. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life questionnaires were used to assess QoL. The QoL outcomes of younger (age 30-49 years, n = 76) and older (age 50-69 years, n = 232) groups were compared preoperatively, 3 months, and 1 year postoperatively. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the preoperative QoL except for the physical functioning scale, which favored the younger group (p = 0.020). This difference remained significant throughout the postoperative periods (3 months, p = 0.002; 1 year, p = 0.004). Better QoL was found for the younger group according to the body image scale (p = 0.031). However, it was limited to the 3-month postoperative assessment. Persistent QoL disadvantages for the younger group were revealed by the diarrhea scale at the 3-month (p = 0.007) and 1-year (p = 0.005) postoperative assessments. Conclusions: While young gastric cancer survivors enjoyed better QoL in physical functioning and body image, worse QoL was related to diarrhea after surgery. Despite ever-rising concerns about QoL deterioration in elderly patients in our aged society, young gastric cancer survivors also need QoL support.

Impact on quality of life with affirmative feedback on weight loss after gastrectomy

This study investigated the feasibility of improving post-gastrectomy satisfaction/quality of life (QoL) of gastric cancer survivors by readjusting their expectations through patient interviews. Weight loss after gastric cancer surgery is common, and a change in the departmental policy helped in providing cancer survivors with an alternative interpretation of lost weight. Under the new policy, a group of patients who were preoperatively overweight or obese were provided with affirmative feedback, despite their postoperative weight loss. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL Questionnaire-C30 and -STO22 were used to assess the QoL. The postoperative 1-year QoL was compared before (control) and after policy changes (affirmative-feedback group) in preoperatively overweight (or obese) patients who lost weight. Despite the weight loss, the affirmative-feedback group exhibited a higher percentage of "less worried" responses (90.4%) on low body weight concerns as compared to the control group (76.5%; P = 0.037). Significant QoL advantages were also observed in the affirmative-feedback group on multiple scales (global health status/QoL, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, dysphagia, dry mouth, and body image). Patient interviews with affirmative feedback on weight loss improved weight satisfaction and QoL in gastric cancer survivors who lost weight.