PURPOSE: To assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in @entity1 participating in a randomised trial of neoadjuvant short course radiation (SC) or long course chemoradiation (LC) for operable @entity5 . @entity1 AND METHODS: Eligible @entity1 with T3N0-2M0 @entity5 completed the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of @entity5 quality of life questionnaire (QLQ-C30) and the @entity14 specific module (QLQ C38) at randomisation and 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months later. RESULTS: Of 326 @entity1 randomised, 297 (SC 143, LC 154) were eligible for completion of HRQOL questionnaires. Baseline scores were comparable across the SC and LC groups. @entity1 reported low scores on sexual functioning and sexual enjoyment. Defaecation problems were the worst of the symptoms at baseline. Surgery had the most profoundly negative effect on HRQOL, seen in both the SC and LC treatment groups to the same extent. The most severely affected domains were physical function and role function and the most severely affected symptoms were @entity1295 , @entity158 , appetite, @entity353 and male sexual problems. Most domains and symptoms returned to baseline levels by 12 months apart from body image, sexual enjoyment and male sexual problems. Future perspective was better than prior to treatment. CONCLUSION: There is no overall difference in HRQOL between SC and LC neoadjuvant treatment strategies, in the first 12 months, after surgery. In the immediate postoperative period HRQOL was adversely affected in both groups but for the most part was temporary. Some residual sexual functioning concerns persisted at 12 months.

The impact on health-related quality of life in the first 12 months: A randomised comparison of preoperative short-course radiation versus long-course chemoradiation for T3 XXXX (Trans-Tasman Radiation Oncology Group Trial 01.04).

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['Patients', 'patients', 'PATIENTS'] @entity353 :: ('MESH:D015431', 'Disease') :: ['weight loss'] @entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['Cancer', 'rectal cancer'] @entity1295 :: ('MESH:D005221', 'Disease') :: ['fatigue'] @entity158 :: ('MESH:D010146', 'Disease') :: ['pain'] @entity14 :: ('MESH:D015179', 'Disease') :: ['colorectal cancer']
@entity5 :: (MESH:D009369,Disease) :: ['rectal cancer']
