Pia J Heino1, Pia H Mylläri2, Tiina A Jahkola2, Harri Sintonen3, Minna-Liisa Luoma4, Pirjo Räsänen5, Risto P Roine6. 1. Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland pia.heino@helsinki.fi. 2. Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. 3. Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. 4. Ageing, Disability and Functioning Unit, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland. 5. Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa, Helsinki, Finland. 6. University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, and University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM: There is a growing need for information regarding the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of cancer survivors. This study aimed to assess the HRQoL of patients treated for cutaneous malignant melanoma between 1980 and 2004 in the Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital district and compare the results to the general population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HRQoL of 981 cutaneous melanoma patients (aged 13 to 97 years, 56.1% female) was assessed using the generic 15D instrument and compared to the general population. The association between demographic and clinical factors and HRQoL was analyzed using oneway ANOVA, student's t-test and multivariate regression. RESULTS: The mean 15D score of melanoma patients was slightly lower (0.904) than that of the general population (0.911, p=0.027), but the difference was not statistically significant. HRQoL deteriorates with age and metastatic disease and improves with time. CONCLUSION: No evidence was found that long-term HRQoL of melanoma survivors was worse than the general population. Copyright
BACKGROUND/AIM: There is a growing need for information regarding the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of cancer survivors. This study aimed to assess the HRQoL of patients treated for cutaneous malignant melanoma between 1980 and 2004 in the Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital district and compare the results to the general population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HRQoL of 981 cutaneous melanomapatients (aged 13 to 97 years, 56.1% female) was assessed using the generic 15D instrument and compared to the general population. The association between demographic and clinical factors and HRQoL was analyzed using oneway ANOVA, student's t-test and multivariate regression. RESULTS: The mean 15D score of melanomapatients was slightly lower (0.904) than that of the general population (0.911, p=0.027), but the difference was not statistically significant. HRQoL deteriorates with age and metastatic disease and improves with time. CONCLUSION: No evidence was found that long-term HRQoL of melanoma survivors was worse than the general population. Copyright