Health-related quality of life associated with different cervical cancer therapies received by patients in two Nigerian tertiary hospitals.

BACKGROUND

There are important consequences from cervical cancer (CC) disease and its treatment among survivors, especially the impact on quality of life (QoL).

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the health-related QoL associated with different CC therapies received by patients in two Nigerian tertiary hospitals.

METHODS

This study employed a prospective longitudinal design. It was conducted at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto and Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Zaria, North-Western Nigeria. Data of all the 157 eligible CC patients were collected at baseline and after therapy. Data analysis was done with appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS V. 20 for windows. <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

Chemotherapy (CT) was the major therapy option received by 78(49.7%) of the patients. Patients who received chemoradiation therapy (CRT) and adjuvant chemotherapy (CTS) had the highest increase in mean overall health-related QoL of 0.138 (=8.456, p<0.001) and 0.138 (=6.489, <0.001) higher than their respective baseline scores. Patients who received CT had the least increase in mean overall health-related QoL of 0.095 (=4.574, <0.001) from baseline.

CONCLUSION

Chemoradiation therapy and adjuvant chemotherapy were associated with highest increase in mean overall health-related QoL. Chemotherapy was associated with the least increase in mean overall health-related QoL.