Quality of life aspects in patients operated for low rectal cancer

Neoplasms of the rectum represent a common therapeutic problem, with plenty of different possible operative decisions for low-situated tumor cases. Some unfavorable consequences of these surgical approaches seriously affect the patient's life. From the surgical point of view, sparing the sphincter can be considered as achievement of the desired result. This seldom matches what the operated people expect before and experience after the treatment. The necessity of critical assessment of the used operative techniques arises with the rectal cancer surgery development. Despite their undeniable attractiveness, sphincter- sparing operations (SSO) are not accompanied with the awaited result in every case. A need of feedback mechanism arises to control vacillation from saving sphincter by all means to the tremendous number of abdominoperineal excisions (APE). With the introduction of the integral psychometric term "Quality of Life" (QoL) a possibility for a dynamic control over the obtained results was created. This control is realized by a set of instruments. These tools help measure objectively the results taken, as well as their practical use aiming to optimize our treatment policy. Recognition of their modifications and principles could be a step forward for the best interpretation.