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Table 2 Quality-of-life among patients newly diagnosed with oesophageal and gastric cancer compared with general Swedish population

From: Symptoms, problems and quality of life in patients newly diagnosed with oesophageal and gastric cancer – a comparative study of treatment strategy

Questionnaire item

Study population n = 158

Reference populationa

n = 4910

p-value

Absolute difference between means

QLQ-C30, mean ± SD

 Global health status1

55.9 ± 24.7

76.4 ± 22.8

 < 0.001

20.5c

 Summary score2

73.1 ± 18.6

No reference data available

-

-

Function*

 Physical function3

76.9 ± 21.2

88.0 ± 18.3

 < 0.001

11.1c

 Role function4

65.4 ± 36.1

82.2 ± 23.9

 < 0.001

16.8c

 Emotional function5

69.3 ± 24.8

85.8 ± 18.7

 < 0.001

16.5c

 Cognitive function6

84.6 ± 21.4

88.1 ± 16.9

0.011

3.5

 Social function7

74.9 ± 28.5

91.2 ± 19.0

 < 0.001

16.3c

Symptom**

 Fatigue8

40.2 ± 27.9

19.1 ± 21.7

 < 0.001

21.1c

 Nausea and vomiting9

20.2 ± 26.9

2.6 ± 9.3

 < 0.001

17.6c

 Pain10

27.8 ± 31.7

18.9 ± 25.7

 < 0.001

8.9

 Dyspnoea11

28.8 ± 31.0

16.3 ± 24.3

 < 0.001

12.5c

 Insomnia12

35.5 ± 33.3

17.5 ± 25.9

 < 0.001

18.0c

 Appetite loss13

42.1 ± 40.7

3.3 ± 12.8

 < 0.001

38.8c

 Constipation14

24.1 ± 31.8

5.4 ± 6.1

 < 0.001

18.7c

 Diarrhoea15

11.0 ± 20.2

5.6 ± 15.9

 < 0.001

5.4

 Financial difficulties16

7.5 ± 19.8

4.4 ± 16.2

0.019

3.1

QLQ-OG25**, mean ± SD

 

Reference populationb

  

 Dysphagia17

33.3 ± 33.2

0.8 ± 5.5

 < 0.001

32.5d

 Eating restrictions18

45.8 ± 35.1

2.9 ± 9.9

 < 0.001

42.9d

 Reflux19

17.3 ± 26.0

6.7 ± 15.4

 < 0.001

10.6d

 Odynophagia20

35.6 ± 33.7

1.5 ± 8.23

 < 0.001

34.1d

 Pain and discomfort21

27.9 ± 33.9

7.6 ± 16.9

 < 0.001

20.3d

 Anxiety22

65.1 ± 28.4

No reference data available

-

-

 Eating with others23

30.2 ± 39.1

1.3 ± 8.9

 < 0.001

28.9d

 Dry mouth24

26.7 ± 32.7

11.5 ± 23.0

 < 0.001

15.2d

 Sense of taste25

15.6 ± 27.1

2.6 ± 12.5

 < 0.001

13.0d

 Body image26

24.5 ± 33.2

No reference data available

-

-

 Saliva27

14.0 ± 26.3

1.3 ± 9.2

 < 0.001

12.7d

 Choking28

20.7 ± 29.8

3.7 ± 13.1

 < 0.001

17.0d

 Cough29

24.0 ± 27.8

13.7 ± 23.6

 < 0.001

10.3d

 Speech30

8.2 ± 20.5

2.2 ± 11.0

 < 0.001

6.0d

 Weight loss31

28.4 ± 34.9

1.8 ± 10.5

 < 0.001

26.6d

 Hair loss32

11.7 ± 27.1

No reference data available

-

-

  1. *Score range 0–100. A high score represents a higher level of quality of life (QOL) or functioning. **Score range 0–100. A high score represents a higher level of symptoms
  2. Missing: 16; 220; 39; 410; 56; 65; 76; 89; 98; 104; 1110; 127; 139; 147; 1510; 1612; 178; 189; 198; 2011; 2112; 227; 2310; 2412; 2511; 2611; 278; 287; 2911; 3011; 3110; 32138
  3. aQLQ-C30 mean scores of Swedish population (reflecting the age and sex distribution of patients with oesophageal or gastric cancer) used as a reference group [25]
  4. bQLQ-OG25 mean scores of Swedish population (reflecting the age and sex distribution of patients with oesophageal or gastric cancer) used as a reference group [36]
  5. cClinically relevant; mean scores differ by ≥ 10 [37]
  6. dNo data on clinical relevance is available
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BMC Cancer

ISSN: 1471-2407

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