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Health-related quality of life of Chinese patients with prostate cancer in comparison to general population and other cancer populations

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to compare the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of Chinese patients with prostate cancer against the general population and patients with colorectal cancer, breast cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, and leukemia.

Methods

Chinese male patients (n = 291) with a confirmed diagnosis of prostate cancer were recruited from a urological specialist outpatient clinic in Hong Kong. HRQOL was measured by a condition-specific Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Prostate (FACT-P) and a generic Chinese (HK) SF-12 Health Survey Version 2 (SF-12v2) questionnaire. Mean HRQOL scores of condition-specific and generic questionnaires were compared to available scores derived from other cancers and age-matched male general population, respectively.

Results

Chinese patients with prostate cancer had lower general health and vitality domains and lower mental component summary scores than the age-matched Hong Kong normative population. Patients with prostate cancer reported better condition-specific HRQOL (physical well-being, emotional well-being and function well-being) when compared to general cancer population, patients with breast cancer, colorectal cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, and leukemia in Hong Kong.

Conclusions

Patients with prostate cancer substantially perceived their HRQOL to be better, compared to patients with other cancers, with overall health, energy, and mental health below of Hong Kong general population. Interventions should target at these domains in order to improve the HRQOL of patients with prostate cancer. It is reassuring to find that prostate cancer had less negative impact on HRQOL than other cancer types did.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to express their gratitude to Professor Cindy L.K. Lam for the design and planning of this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, 4/F, William M.W. Mong Block, 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong

    Edmond P. H. Choi

  2. Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong

    Carlos K. H. Wong, W. Y. Chin & Kenny Kung

  3. Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong

    James H. L. Tsu, Charles K. W. Wong & M. K. Yiu

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  1. Edmond P. H. Choi
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  2. Carlos K. H. Wong
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Correspondence to Edmond P. H. Choi.

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Choi, E.P.H., Wong, C.K.H., Tsu, J.H.L. et al. Health-related quality of life of Chinese patients with prostate cancer in comparison to general population and other cancer populations. Support Care Cancer 24, 1849–1856 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-015-2980-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-015-2980-6

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