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01-12-2015 | Review Article

Systematic review of the quality of life issues associated with anal cancer and its treatment with radiochemotherapy

Authors: Samantha C. Sodergren, Vassilios Vassiliou, Kristopher Dennis, Krzysztof A. Tomaszewski, Alexandra Gilbert, Robert Glynne-Jones, Karen Nugent, David Sebag-Montefiore, Colin D. Johnson, On behalf of the EORTC Quality of Life Group

Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer | Issue 12/2015

Abstract

Purpose

Radiochemotherapy is the standard of care for the treatment of anal carcinoma achieving good loco-regional control and sphincter preservation. This approach is however associated with acute and late toxicities including haematological, skin, bowel function and genito-urinary complications. This paper systematically reviews studies addressing the quality of life (QoL) implications of anal cancer and radiochemotherapy. The paper also evaluates how QoL is assessed in anal cancer.

Methods

Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycInfo, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library were searched for publications (1996–2014) reporting the effects on patients of anal cancer and radiochemotherapy.

Results

Of the 152 papers reporting treatment-related effects on patients, only 11 provided a formal assessment of QoL. In the absence of an anal cancer-specific measure, QoL was assessed using generic cancer instruments such as the core EORTC quality of life questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) or colorectal cancer tools such as the EORTC QLQ-CR29. Bowel function, particularly diarrhoea, and sexual problems were the most commonly reported QoL concerns. The review of QoL issues of anal cancer patients treated with radiochemotherapy is limited by the QoL assessment measures used. It is argued that certain treatment-related toxicities, for example skin-induced radiation problems, are overlooked or inadequately represented in existing measures.

Conclusions

This review emphasises the need to develop an anal cancer-specific QoL measure and to incorporate QoL as an outcome of future trials in anal cancer. The results of this review are informative to clinicians and patients in terms of treatment decision-making.

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Title: Systematic review of the quality of life issues associated with anal cancer and its treatment with radiochemotherapy
Authors: Samantha C. Sodergren
Vassilios Vassiliou
Kristopher Dennis
Krzysztof A. Tomaszewski
Alexandra Gilbert
Robert Glynne-Jones
Karen Nugent
David Sebag-Montefiore
Colin D. Johnson
On behalf of the EORTC Quality of Life Group
Publication date: 01-12-2015
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer / Issue 12/2015
Print ISSN: 0941-4355
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7339
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-015-2879-2

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