Prospective population-based study comparing quality of life after pneumonectomy and lobectomy

The impact of type of resection for lung cancer, that is, pneumonectomy or lobectomy, on postoperative quality of life is not clearly defined. The aim of the study was to compare the changes in health-related quality of life in patients undergoing lobectomy or pneumonectomy for lung cancer.

We performed a prospective, population-based, cohort study and used a validated quality-of-life instrument to gather information on health-related quality of life before and 6 months after surgery. The main outcome measures were fractional change in the Short Form-36 physical and mental component summary scores.

There was no statistically significant difference in any of the Medical Outcome Study 36-Item Short Form subscales or summary scores between the lobectomy (n=101) and pneumonectomy (n=16) group at baseline. There was a significant difference in the fractional change in the physical component summary score between the lobectomy and pneumonectomy group (-17% vs -32%, p=0.04), but not in the mental component summary score (6.5% vs 12%, p=0.72).

Pneumonectomy had a larger negative impact on the physical aspect of health-related quality of life than lobectomy 6 months following surgery for lung cancer. The mental component of quality of life was not affected by the extent of surgical resection.