When do defecation function and quality of life recover for patients with non-ostomy and ostomy surgery of rectal cancer?

The impact of an interactive online informational and peer support application (app) for patients with low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) on quality of life: a multicenter randomized controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

Low Anterior Resection Syndrome (LARS) describes bowel dysfunction post-restorative proctectomy (RP) and is associated with poor quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to assess the impact of an interactive online informational and peer support App on participants' QoL (primary outcome), LARS, and emotional distress (secondary outcomes).

METHODS

A multicentre, randomized, parallel-group trial was conducted across five Canadian colorectal surgery practices. Adult patients who: (1) underwent RP for rectal cancer and completed all treatment and (2) had major/minor LARS were included. Participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to treatment or comparison group, stratified by hospital site and years post-RP. The treatment group had access to the App for a period of 6 months, and the comparison group received a booklet containing the same educational material as the App. The primary outcome was change in global QoL (EORTC-QLQ-C30) from baseline to 6 months post-intervention. Per-protocol and intention to treat analysis were performed, controlling for a priori selected variables (sex, time from end of treatment).

RESULTS

Of the 101 enrolled participants, 10 individuals were lost to follow-up and 91 completed the study. Participants were well-balanced in terms of baseline characteristics, QoL and bowel dysfunction. Among the 45 App users, median log-in per person was 21, with 30 (66.7%) participants meeting criteria for adequate app usage. On intention to treat analysis, there was no statistically significant difference in QoL in the App group. On the per-protocol analysis, where only participants who met adequate App usage criteria were included in the treatment group, the group reported statistically significant improvement in QoL (β 9.5, 95% CI 4.6,14.6) and LARS (β - 2.7, 95%CI - 5.1,- 0.2) scores following App usage.

CONCLUSION

This multicenter randomized controlled trial support that, when adequately used, an interactive online informational and peer support App has the potential to improve QoL of rectal cancer survivors living with LARS post-RP.

The Quality of Life of Patients with Surgically Treated Colorectal Cancer: A Narrative Review

INTRODUCTION

Quality of life is a topic increasingly being addressed by researchers. Due to the increasing incidence of colorectal cancer, this issue is particularly relevant. Despite the increasing number of publications on this topic each year, it still requires further research. The aim of this study was to analyze the available literature from the past 10 years, addressing the topic of QoL in patients with colorectal cancer which has been treated surgically.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This review is based on 93 articles published between 2012 and 2022. It analyzes the impact of socioeconomic factors, the location and stage of the tumor, stoma and the method of surgical treatment on patients' QoL and sexual functioning.

RESULTS

CRC has a negative impact on patients' financial status, social functioning, pain and physical functioning. Patients with stage II or III cancer have an overall lower QoL than patients with stage I. The more proximally the lesion is located to the sphincters, the greater the negative impact on the QoL. There was a significant difference in favor of laparoscopic surgery compared with open surgery. In patients with a stoma, the QoL is lower compared with patients with preserved gastrointestinal tract continuity. The more time has passed since surgery, the more the presence of a stoma has a negative impact on QoL. Surgery for CRC negatively affects patients' sex lives, especially in younger people and among men.

CONCLUSIONS

This study may contribute to the identification of the factors that affect the QoL of patients with surgically treated colorectal cancer. This will allow even more effective and complete treatment, facilitating patients' return to normal physical, mental and social functioning.

Effectiveness of a rectal cancer education video on patient expectations

AIM

Discrepancy between patient expectations and outcomes can negatively affect patient satisfaction and quality of life. We aimed to assess patient expectations of bowel, urinary, and sexual function after rectal cancer treatments, and whether a preoperative education video changed expectations.

METHODS

A total of 45 patients were assessed between January 2018 and January 2021 in a tertiary care hospital in Vancouver, Canada. Patients included were rectal cancer patients who had neoadjuvant chemoradiation and were listed for low anterior resection but had not yet had surgery. Following surgical consultation but before surgery, a questionnaire assessing expectations of lifestyle after treatments was administered. Patients then watched an educational video and repeated the questionnaire to assess for changes in expectations.

RESULTS

Patient scores indicated expectation that control of bowel movements, urination, and sexual function would sometimes be problematic, but had a range from occasionally problematic to good function. Significant change after the video was seen in the expectation of needing medications for bowel control, and 44%-69% of individual patient answers changed from prevideo to post-video, depending on the question. The education video was scored as helpful or very helpful by 82% of patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients have varying expectations of problematic control of bowel, urinary, and sexual function following rectal cancer treatments. A pretreatment education video resulted in a trend toward changed expectations for functional outcomes in most patients. Further educational modalities for patients may provide more uniform expectations of function and increase patient satisfaction after rectal cancer treatments.

Altering Intake and Managing Symptoms: Feasibility of a Diet Modification Intervention for Post-Treatment Bowel Dysfunction in Rectal Cancer

BACKGROUND

Bowel dysfunction is a common long-term effect of rectal cancer treatment that affects a survivor's quality of life, with few empirically based interventions for symptom management.

OBJECTIVES

The objective was to determine the acceptability of diet modification for bowel dysfunction in postsurgical rectal cancer survivors.

METHODS

 11 rectal cancer survivors who were at least six months post-treatment and reported moderate to severe bowel symptoms completed 10 telephone coaching sessions focusing on diet and symptom management over four months. Feasibility was assessed by study enrollment rate and intervention completion rate.

FINDINGS

 Diet modification coaching for bowel symptom management is feasible for post-treatment rectal cancer survivors. The intervention can be evaluated for efficacy because of potential to serve as a scalable and accessible approach for effective bowel symptom management.

Effect of comprehensive nursing on the appearance and recovery effect of oral squamous cell carcinoma patients

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of comprehensive nursing on the appearance and recovery of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

METHODS

52 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma admitted to our hospital from February 2019 to February 2020 were selected and divided into a control group (n = 26, conventional nursing care) and an observation group (n = 26, comprehensive nursing). The postoperative hospital stay and postoperative intravenous infusion time, quality of life score, postoperative complications, nursing satisfaction, shape recovery, SAS score, etc. were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

(1) The observation group had a shorter postoperative hospital stay and postoperative intravenous infusion time compared to the control group. The observation group also showed higher scores of ADL, psychological function, physical function, and social function after nursing. Regarding the incidence of postoperative complications, the observation group was lower than the control group; the observation group had higher nursing satisfaction (92.31%) than the control group (61.54%) (All P < 0.05). (2) The satisfaction rate in terms of postoperative appearance recovery and overall recovery in the observation group were all significantly higher than the control group (P < 0.05). (3) The ASA score in observation group was significantly lower compared to the control group (inter-group effect: F = 76.210, P < 0.001), and the ASA score of both groups had a tendency to decrease with time (time effect: F = 36.580, P < 0.001); There is an interaction effect between grouping and time (interaction effect: F = 11.770, P < 0.001). (4) After nursing, the VAS score of the two groups of patients was lower than that before nursing, and the score of observation group patients was much lower (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The application of comprehensive nursing in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma is remarkable, which can promote the recovery of patients' disease and their appearance, decrease postoperative complications, and relieve the anxiety feelings of patients, with a higher satisfaction rate.