Patient-centered outcomes after therapy for colorectal cancer.

In practical terms, clinicians can use the results of patient-centered outcome instruments to track patients' functional status and quality-of-life changes through treatment. Noting formalized results might help clinicians better communicate with patients at critical times during treatment, especially with regard to patient expectations.Although numerous clinical variables of uncertain value are regularly followed, validated functional and quality-of-life results have been put to use only rarely in the clinical setting. Clinicians' ability to interpret and apply quality-of-life results will surely improve with practice, and likely would be well worth the contribution to our patients' well-being.