The Alteration of Life Quality Between Hormone Treatment-Receiving and Non-Receiving Early-Stage Prostate Cancer Patients Who Underwent Radiotherapy

INTRODUCTION: Curative surgery or radiotherapy is the treatment of choice in localized prostate cancer. Androgen deprivation therapy, which is performed according to the risk groups, is effective in the downsizing of the prostate. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire EORT-QLQ C30 is an effective means of evaluating the quality of life on the basis of the individual’s physical and functional scales
METHODS: 35 prostate cancer patients who had not undergone surgery and who received curative radiotherapy were included in the study. The study was performed prospectively.The life qualities and weights of prostate cancer patients were evaluated before, at the end of, and 3 months after, the radiotherapy sessions, by means of the EORTC-QLQ30 Test
RESULTS: The alterations encountered in hormone-receiving patients on the basis of physical, emotional, perceptional, and social scores, in addition to fatigue, nausea, vomiting and pain evaluations, done on the basis of the EORTC-QLQ30 measurements performed prior to, at the and of and 3 months after, the radiotherapy sessions, were found to be statistically significant (p<0.001). Patients who did not receive hormone therapy in the emotional and pain scores demonstrated statistically significant changes during the same evaluations p=0.006, and p=0.019, respectively
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: It was concluded at the end of the study, that radiotherapy, in general, does not impose a negative effect on the quality of life in prostate cancer patients but it does lead to changes in the general and emotional functional scores, as well as the complaints of pain, insomnia, constipation, and diarrhea