Abstract 2763: Health-related quality of life among long-term prostate cancer survivors by primary treatment: A systematic review
Authors: Adam Salome , Feller Anita , Rohrmann Sabine , Arndt Volker 
Published: July 2017

Abstract
Introduction: Due to improving prognosis for prostate cancer survivors and increased
awareness of late- or long-term treatment effects, monitoring long-term well-being among
prostate cancer survivors has gained increasing attention. In this systematic review, we
identified and synthesized studies comparing health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among
long-term prostate cancer (PC) survivors (i.e. ≥5 years past diagnosis) by primary treatment.
Methods: In order to summarize current literature research results, we searched multiple
databases, including Pubmed, Medline, Embase, PsychInfo, Cinahl, Web of Science and
Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to identify all relevant articles. Studies had to
assess at least overall/ general HRQoL plus one HRQoL domain or a minimum of two HRQoL
domains. Two independent reviewers systematically extracted the content of the included
studies.
Results: A total of twelve studies were identified (2 from US, 3 from Japan, 6 from Europe, 1
from US/UK); the majority were observational prospective cohort studies (n=7), and two
were RCTs. HRQoL was assessed using the SF-36 (n=7) or EORTC QLQ-C30 (n=5). Instruments
to assess symptoms included various questionnaires (e.g., EPIC, IPSS, UCLA and EORTC PR
25). The sample size (all arms combined) was below 100 in 6 studies, between 100 and 200
in 5 studies, and 780 in one study. Comparison groups differed across studies.
Although, long-term prostate cancer survivors reported comparable HRQoL to the general
population, survivors treated using external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) reported poorer
role, social and role physical functioning and a higher burden of diarrhea, pain, sleep
disturbance and nausea/vomiting.
Results for comparisons of different therapies were not consistent. Whereas studies using
the EORTC QLQ-c30 questionnaire did not reveal any statistically or clinically significant
results, studies using the SF-36 showed that survivors treated with a radical prostatectomy
reported better physical and role functioning as well as higher vitality than survivors treated
with AS/WW, ADT and EBRT. However, the latter results were only based on one study. No
clear associations were seen between EBRT and OM.
Conclusion: This review suggests that HRQol among long-term prostate cancer survivors
varies according to primary treatment. However, it remains unclear which treatment options
are superior with respect to HRQoL since studies yielded conflicting results, used different
comparison groups, or did not have enough power to draw any firm conclusions.
Citation Format: Salome Adam, Anita Feller, Sabine Rohrmann, Volker Arndt. Health-related quality of life among long-term prostate cancer survivors by primary treatment: A systematic review [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2763. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-2763