Reduction of quality of life in prostate cancer patients: experience among 6200 men in the Nordic countries

AbstractObjective: Although many studies have dealt with adverse effects (AEs) and quality of life (QoL) in prostate cancer (PCa) patients, the quantification of the patients’ perspective on AE-related reduction in QoL has been less studied. This study describes the impact of self-reported local (erectile, bowel, urinary dysfunction) or systemic (mental distress, fatigue, virility loss) AEs on QoL reduction.Materials and methods: Nordic PCa patients completed a questionnaire containing 84 multiple-choice questions. The main outcome variable of the survey was patient-reported PCa-induced QoL reduction, assessed by descriptive and regression analyses. The level of significance was p < 0.05.Results: Among 6200 patients, 39% described their QoL as reduced owing to the PCa trajectory: radical prostatectomy group (RPGroup): 42%, radiotherapy without hormones (RADGroup): 27%, hormones (HormGroup): 47% and no treatment (NoTrtGroup): 19%. Except for the NoTrtGroup, urinary leakage and fatigue doubled the risk of Q...