Quality of life estimate in stomach, colon, and rectal cancer patients in a hospital in China.

The objective of this study was to investigate the outcome and coping patterns of patients with stomach, colon, and rectal cancer in a hospital in China. Health-related quality of life was assessed in 118 stomach, colon, and rectal cancer patients in Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China, using the generic version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life (QOL) Questionnaire Core 30 Items, Self-rated Anxiety Scores (SAS), Self-rated Depression Scores (SDS), Medical Coping Modes of Questionnaire (MCMQ), and Social Support Requirement Scale (SSRS) questionnaires. The overall QOL was 50.7 ± 6.5, 48.1 ± 7.7, and 47.6 ± 6.4, respectively, for stomach, colon, and rectal cancer groups. Correlations between QOL and SAS and SDS in stomach cancer patients were significantly higher than observed in the cohort of colon or rectal cancer patients (Spearman coefficient of 0.366 and 0.129, respectively). Cluster analysis of MCMQ data revealed four identifiable patterns (resign, confront, avoid-confront, and avoid-resign) of coping in the study group. Subjective support was significantly higher than objective support (p < 0.05); however, extent of using the support was significantly lower than either objective (p < 0.05) or subjective support (p < 0.01). SAS and SDS were negatively correlated to SSRS scores (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). Stomach, colon, and rectal cancer patients had anxiety and depression stemming from their cancer diagnosis and postdiagnosis treatment, and sex dependency was prevalent in SSRS response. Coping patterns were reliable indicators of psychosocial side effects in patients with stomach, colon, and rectal cancers.