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01-03-2016 | Original Scientific Report

Quality of Life in Thyroid Cancer is Similar to That of Other Cancers with Worse Survival

Authors: Megan K. Applewhite, Benjamin C. James, Sharone P. Kaplan, Peter Angelos, Edwin L. Kaplan, Raymon H. Grogan, Briseis Aschebrook-Kilfoy

Published in: World Journal of Surgery | Issue 3/2016

Abstract

Background

The incidence of thyroid cancer is increasing. As such, the number of survivors is rising, and it has been shown that their quality of life (QOL) is worse than expected. Using results from the North American Thyroid Cancer Survivorship Study (NATCSS), a large-scale survivorship study, we aim to compare the QOL of thyroid cancer survivors to the QOL of survivors of other types of cancer.

Methods

The NATCSS assessed QOL overall and in four subcategories: physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being using the QOL-Cancer Survivor (QOL-CS) instrument. Studies that used the QOL-CS to evaluate survivors of other types of cancers were compared to the NATCSS findings using two-tailed t tests.

Results

We compared results from NATCSS to QOL survivorship studies in colon, glioma, breast, and gynecologic cancer. The mean overall QOL in NATCSS was 5.56 (on a scale of 0–10, where 10 is the best). Overall QOL of patients with thyroid cancer was similar to that of patients with colon cancer (mean 5.20, p = 0.13), glioma (mean 5.96, p = 0.23), and gynecologic cancer (mean 5.59, p = 0.43). It was worse than patients surveyed with breast cancer (mean 6.51, p < 0.01).

Conclusions

We found the self-reported QOL of thyroid cancer survivors in our study population is overall similar to or worse than that of survivors of other types of cancer surveyed with the same instrument. This should heighten awareness of the significance of a thyroid cancer diagnosis and highlights the need for further research in how to improve care for this enlarging group of patients.

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Title: Quality of Life in Thyroid Cancer is Similar to That of Other Cancers with Worse Survival
Authors: Megan K. Applewhite
Benjamin C. James
Sharone P. Kaplan
Peter Angelos
Edwin L. Kaplan
Raymon H. Grogan
Briseis Aschebrook-Kilfoy
Publication date: 01-03-2016
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Published in: World Journal of Surgery / Issue 3/2016
Print ISSN: 0364-2313
Electronic ISSN: 1432-2323
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-015-3300-5

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Quality of Life in Thyroid Cancer is Similar to That of Other Cancers with Worse Survival

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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