CN40 - The effect of type 2 diabetes on health-related quality of life in colon cancer patients

Background

Colon cancer and type 2 diabetes affected the quality of life. The purpose of this study was to assess the factors that influence the health-related quality of life in colon cancer patients with comorbid diabetes type 2.

Methods

The study was cross-sectional and conducted in a large oncology hospital in a major city of Northern Greece. The sample was convenience and consisted of 100 patients. EORTC QLQ -C30 and EORTC- QLQ CR 29 questionnaire was used to assess the quality of life. Demographic and clinical characteristics collected from the patients’ records. Descriptive statistics were used for demographic characteristics. For data that were not normal distributed, nonparametric tests were applied.

Results

The mean age of the sample was 65.77 ± 9.99 years. The majority of the patients were men (58%). Married patients constituted 47%, and those in stage IV of cancer were 45%. The higher score was registered in the cognitive functioning subscale (77.16 ± 23.41) of EORTC–QLQ C30 subscales, and the lowest in the pain subscale (18.16 ± 22.73). As regards EORTC QLQ–CR29 scale, the higher score in the sexual interest (women) subscale (77.16 ± 23.41) and the lowest was in the blood, and mucus in the stool (6.00 ± 10.98). The analysis with Spearman correlation between the subscales of EORTCQLQ-C30 assessed through the questionnaire and demographic–clinical characteristics showed that there are positive correlations between gender and social function scale (r_s = 0.211, p = 0.035), body mass index and cognitive functional scale (r_s = 0.294, p = 0.009), HbAc and functional scale role (r_s = 0.289, p = 0.004), HbAc and physical functional score (r_s = -0.307, p = 0.002). Furthermore, the analysis of the EORTC QLQ–CR29 questionnaire showed that gender was associated with urinary frequency (r_s = 0.434, p = 0.000) and dysuria score (rs = -0.252, p = 0.012), family status was related to dysuria score (r_s = 0.201, p = 0.043), and HbAc was related to urinary frequency (r_s = 0.329, p = 0.001).

Conclusions

The results of this study show that many dimensions in the quality of life of colon cancer patients with comorbid diabetes are affected. Also, we concluded that there is a link between the quality of life and some demographic or clinical factors.

Clinical trial identification

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

The authors.

Funding

Has not received any funding.

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.