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Table 4 Mean values for quality of life among patients with oesophageal cancer, by treatment strategy

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

Questionnaire item

Oesophageal cancer

 

Total n = 107

Palliative

n = 42 (39.3%)

Curative

n = 65 (60.7%)

p-value

Absolute difference between means

QLQ-C30, mean ± SD

 Global health status1

57.5 ± 25.8

50.8 ± 28.6

62.0 ± 22.9

0.030

11.2a

 Summary score2

74.0 ± 18.7

69.0 ± 19.9

77.0 ± 17.4

0.048

8

Function

 Physical function3

76.8 ± 21.0

65.5 ± 22.6

83.9 ± 16.5

 < 0.001

18.4a

 Role function4

67.0 ± 35.5

55.7 ± 36.6

73.9 ± 33.3

0.012

18.2a

 Emotional function5

69.3 ± 24.8

68.5 ± 23.5

69.8 ± 25.8

0.786

 

 Cognitive function6

86.5 ± 20.3

84.9 ± 20.1

87.6 ± 20.5

0.505

 

 Social function7

74.8 ± 29.5

74.2 ± 27.6

75.3 ± 30.9

0.858

 

Symptom’’

 Fatigue8

38.3 ± 28.2

47.1 ± 27.3

32.5 ± 27.5

0.010

14.6a

 Nausea and vomiting9

19.4 ± 25.8

24.2 ± 27.2

16.4 ± 24.6

0.138

 

 Pain10

27.6 ± 33.1

39.3 ± 37.1

19.8 ± 27.8

0.005

19.5a

 Dyspnoea11

28.7 ± 31.4

39.5 ± 33.7

22.0 ± 28.3

0.006

17.5a

 Insomnia12

36.2 ± 34.8

41.3 ± 34.4

32.8 ± 34.9

0.225

 

 Appetite loss13

40.5 ± 41.1

48.0 ± 44.1

35.5 ± 38.4

0.146

 

 Constipation14

22.3 ± 31.1

20.6 ± 29.4

23.5 ± 32.4

0.648

 

 Diarrhoea15

9.7 ± 17.9

12.2 ± 19.4

8.1 ± 16.7

0.252

 

 Financial difficulties16

7.7 ± 18.9

7.0 ± 17.6

8.2 ± 19.9

0.765

 

QLQ-OG25’’, mean ± SD

 Dysphagia17

39.2 ± 31.9

42.3 ± 33.3

37.0 ± 31.0

0.413

 

 Eating restrictions18

50.2 ± 35.0

54.5 ± 37.7

47.3 ± 33.0

0.313

 

 Reflux19

15.9 ± 25.1

21.0 ± 30.4

12.3 ± 20.2

0.107

 

 Odynophagia20

43.3 ± 34.3

45.8 ± 38.1

41.7 ± 31.8

0.555

 

 Pain and discomfort21

27.6 ± 36.0

30.0 ± 35.2

26.0 ± 36.7

0.589

 

 Anxiety22

64.7 ± 28.7

62.3 ± 27.3

66.4 ± 29.7

0.480

 

 Difficulties eating with others23

36.6 ± 41.2

38.3 ± 43.1

35.5 ± 40.3

0.730

 

 Dry mouth24

27.3 ± 32.4

33.3 ± 33.8

23.5 ± 31.2

0.142

 

 Sense of taste25

17.7 ± 27.8

23.3 ± 33.9

13.9 ± 22.4

0.126

 

 Body image26

26.3 ± 33.8

36.8 ± 34.0

19.4 ± 32.1

0.012

17.4b

 Saliva27

17.5 ± 29.8

23.0 ± 34.9

13.7 ± 25.4

0.141

 

 Choking28

26.9 ± 32.2

31.0 ± 36.4

24.2 ± 29.1

0.296

 

 Cough29

26.7 ± 28.4

31.7 ± 32.9

23.3 ± 24.8

0.152

 

 Speech30

9.6 ± 22.8

18.8 ± 31.3

3.8 ± 12.2

0.006

15b

 Weight loss31

32.3 ± 36.3

33.3 ± 37.7

31.7 ± 36.4

0.829

 

 Hair loss32

15.6 ± 30.5

41.7 ± 50.0

6.1 ± 13.5

0.250

 
  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: 13; 214; 36; 47; 53; 63; 73; 86; 95; 102; 117; 123; 135; 144; 154; 168; 175; 185; 194; 207; 218; 224; 236; 248; 257; 268; 274; 283; 297; 306; 316; 3292
  3. aClinically relevant; mean scores differ by ≥ 10 [37]
  4. bNo data on clinical relevance is available