A comparison of general, genitourinary, bowel, and sexual quality of life among long term survivors of prostate, bladder, colorectal, and lung cancer

Abstract Objectives Studies of local stage prostate cancer survivors suggest that treatments carry risk of persistent impotence, incontinence, and bowel dysfunction. To examine impacts of cancer type and side effects on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in long-term cancer survivorship, we evaluated 5-year follow-up of patients with prostate cancer and compared results with a matched group of male long-term survivors of other local-stage cancers. Materials and Methods We examined genitourinary, bowel and sexual symptoms, and general quality of life. Matched survivors of colorectal, lung, and bladder cancers were recruited via registries in 3 different regions in the United States. Patients were surveyed 3–5 years after diagnosis with the SF-12 and EPIC to evaluate general mental and physical health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and patient function and bother. Results We analyzed responses from long-term prostate (n = 77) and bladder, colorectal, and lung cancer (n = 124) patients. In multivariate analysis, long-term local stage prostate cancer survivors had significantly higher SF-12 physical component scores but did not differ from long-term survivors of other cancers in terms of their SF-12 mental summary scores. Prostate survivors had similar mental, urinary, bowel, and sexual HRQoL compared to long-term survivors of other local stage cancers. Conclusion Long-term general and prostate-specific HRQoL was similar between local stage prostate and bladder, colorectal, and lung patients with cancer. Future research focusing on factors other than initial treatment and the cancer type per se may provide more meaningful information regarding factors that predict disparities on HRQoL among longer-term survivors of early stage male cancers.