Impact of a Temporary Stoma on the Quality of Life of Rectal Cancer Patients Undergoing Treatment

Background Data from randomized controlled trials support use of a diverting stoma in rectal cancer patients with low anastomoses, but there is little data on how this impacts patient quality of life (QOL). This study prospectively evaluates QOL in stage I–III rectal cancer patients undergoing sphincter-preserving surgery (SPS) with a temporary diverting stoma.