DETERMINATION OF QUALITY OF LIFE WITH THE HELP OF FACT-BL IN PATIENTS WITH INVASIVE BLADDER CANCER

Abstract

In the research we tried to estimate quality of life (QoL) of patients after combined therapy and complex therapy.
Materials and methods: 90 patients with bladder cancer at the stage Т2-Т3N0M0 underwent treatment in FSI Russian Scientific Rentgenradiology Centre for the period 2003 - 2008 were included in the research. The first group consisted of 43 patients who received combined therapy; the second group consisted of 47 patients who were performed complex treatment. In the research we used the questionnaire Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bladder. FACT-BL is a specially worked out module for patients with bladder cancer which is actively used conjointly with the general questionnaire for oncologic patients (FACT-G).
Results: Deterioration dynamics in patients after complex therapy is registered due to age-dependent indicator (from young to older patients). Comparing patients with the help of FACT-BL-module at the moment of research, QoL scores were not significantly different in both groups. While evaluating patients after surgical treatment and chemoradiation, significant changes like decreasing of scores were identified in 6 months after therapy which shows positive effect of the treatment. It's established that in the first group scores are much higher beginning from the
12-th month of follow-up period (in comparison with the second group). According to the dynamic study, scores in different variants of treatment are significantly different (FACT-BL in the first group is 24.3, in the second group - 15.9).
Conclusion: The usage of FACT-BL gives an opportunity to follow up the patient's state of health during the whole treatment process as well as during his rehabilitation, while getting of the prognostic value of QoL indicator helps to predict general tendencies for changes of health status since before the factual commencement of the treatment.