The impact of method of colorectal cancer surgery on quality of life of patients using the EORTC questionnaire

Introduction:
Taking care of the patient’s quality of life in the perioperative period is one of the most important elements influencing the patient’s well-being and successful recovery. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of the method of colorectal cancer surgery on the quality of life of patients using the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire.

Material and methods:
In the study group of 269 patients, patients’ eligibility for surgical treatment was determined using both classical and laparoscopic methods. The study used an analysis of available medical records and the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. The research was carried out in three time intervals – before the procedure, 7 days after the colon resection procedure, and one month after the operation. All calculations and graphs were made using the R statistical package, version 4.1.3.

Results:
The study included 269 patients aged 30–78 years. The procedures were performed using two methods, with the laparoscopic method (46.8%) and the classic method (53.2%). During a thorough assessment of the results of individual subscales of the questionnaire, most of them indicated a positive effect of the laparoscopic method. In the assessment of bio-psycho-social functioning, patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery experienced a higher quality of life. The time that had passed since the procedure had a positive impact on the quality of life of both groups of patients.

Conclusions:
In the assessment of bio-psycho-social functioning, the selection of an appropriate surgical method affects the quality of life of patients operated on for colorectal cancer.