Health-related quality of life in Dutch men with prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the most prevalent solid malignancy in men in the Netherlands. With regard to treatment, the focus of attention has shifted in the last decade from pure survival rates to health-related quality of life. HRQOL is affected differently by different treatments. The objective of this study is to assess the HRQOL related to treatment regime and time since diagnosis in Dutch men with prostate cancer. We conducted a cross-sectional study among 238 men with prostate cancer in a heterogeneous sample who filled in a general health-related quality-of-life measure (EORTC-QLQ-C30) and a prostate cancer specific quality-of-life instrument (the EORTC-QLQ-PR25) and a Joy-of-Life questionnaire. Men on hormonal treatment are doing worse compared with other treatments with respect to physical functioning, role functioning, fatigue, pain and sexual functioning. No differences were found between radical prostatectomy and radiation therapy on any of the HRQOL dimensions nor for time since diagnosis. In hormonal therapy, men who are diagnosed longer than two years ago report a worse cognitive functioning and more burdens from urinary problems.