Quality of life after anterior resection versus abdominoperineal extirpation for rectal cancer.

Background: Abdominoperineal extirpation has been assumed to put patients at higher risk of disruption to quality of life than sphincter-preserving surgery in rectal cancer surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate quality of life in patients after anterior resection versus abdominoperineal extirpation for rectal cancer and to evaluate the psychometrics of the Danish version of a symptom-specific Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale. Methods: Fourteen patients undergoing abdominoperineal extirpation and 26 undergoing anterior resection. The generic quality of life instrument SF-36 together with a new symptomspecific Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale were used. Psychometric analysis of the symptom-specific scale was carried out. Results: The only significant difference between the two groups was found in the total score of the symptom-specific scale in favour of anterior resection ( P = 0.02). Psychometric evaluation of the symptom-specific fecal incontinence questionnaire proved it reli...