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Utility and health-related quality of life in prostate cancer patients 12 months after radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy

Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases volume 12, pages 361–368 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

This study aims to examine and compare changes in quality of life after two common treatments for prostate cancer (PC), radical prostatectomy (RP) and radiation therapy (RT). Patients newly diagnosed with localized PC, scheduled to receive RP (n=68) or RT (n=66), completed three cancer/PC-specific psychometric instruments and three PC-specific utility instruments before treatment, and 2 and 12 months after treatment. We assessed the magnitude and time course of changes in psychometric and utility measures, and differences between treatments. The results showed that RP was associated with significant urinary and sexual dysfunction; RT caused bowel problems. Fatigue and pain were common to both. RP patients reported more problems with physical, role and social function. Utilities decreased significantly after both treatments. Effects were most severe 2 months post treatment, and then showed some recovery, but many endured for 1 year. After 1 year, 30–60% of patients had utility scores that were clinically significantly worse than at baseline. Secondary androgen deprivation therapy also significantly decreased psychometric and utility measures of quality of life. Many adverse symptoms reported 2 months after RP and RT endure for 1 year. Despite different symptom profiles, RP and RT result in similar utility decrements.

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Acknowledgements

Support was provided by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Grant # 006169). Dr Krahn is supported by the F Norman Hughes Chair in Pharmacoeconomics, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto. Dr Naglie is supported by the Mary Trimmer Chair in Geriatric Medicine Research, University of Toronto.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, and Department of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    M D Krahn, G Tomlinson & G Naglie

  2. Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    M D Krahn

  3. Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    M D Krahn, K E Bremner, G Tomlinson & G Naglie

  4. Toronto Health Economics and Technology Assessment Collaborative (THETA), Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    M D Krahn, K E Bremner & G Tomlinson

  5. Division of General Internal Medicine, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,

    M D Krahn, G Tomlinson & G Naglie

  6. Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    G Tomlinson

  7. Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    G Naglie

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  1. M D Krahn
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  2. K E Bremner
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  3. G Tomlinson
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  4. G Naglie
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to K E Bremner.

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Krahn, M., Bremner, K., Tomlinson, G. et al. Utility and health-related quality of life in prostate cancer patients 12 months after radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 12, 361–368 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/pcan.2009.32

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/pcan.2009.32

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