Ostomy time and nutrition status were associated on quality of life in patients with colorectal cancer

Abstract Introduction Colorectal cancer frequency increases each year and consequently the number of ostomies, a procedure that helps in the treatment of colorectal cancer but has an impact on quality of life. Studies evaluating the impact of ostomy time and nutritional status on the quality of life of colostomized patients with colorectal cancer are scarce in the literature. So, the aim of this study was to evaluate the association ostomy time and nutritional status on quality of life in colostomized colorectal cancer patients. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 97 colostomized patients due to colorectal cancer of a reference service. Socioeconomic, demographic, clinical data were obtained. European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer questionnaires EORTC-QLQ30 and EORTC-QLQ-CR29 were used to analyse the quality of life. Statistical significance analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon’s non-parametric or Chi–Square test. Results Of 97 individuals, 50.5% were females, 64.9% were over 60 years old, 67.4% have ostomy for less than 1 year. Half of the patients had some nutritional status inadequacy: 24.2% were malnourished, 17.9% overweight and 8.4% obese. Shorter ostomy time was associated with role function, blood or mucus in stools, stoma care problems and men's sexual interest, while malnutrition was associated with concern about weight. Conclusions Ostomy time and nutrition status were associated on quality of life in some domains, such as role function, insomnia, appetite loss, abdominal pain, buttock pain, bloating, hair loss, taste loss have an impact together with the nutritional status on the quality of life in patients colostomized colorectal cancer.