Quality of Life After Radiotherapy for Rectal and Anal Cancer.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Radiation Oncology
• Patient-Reported Outcomes

Background:

• Advances in radiation therapy (RT) for rectal and anal cancers enable modulation of critical normal tissues.
• There is an increasing focus on improving the quality of life (QOL) for cancer survivors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the literature on the impact of RT on QOL and patient-reported outcomes (PROs).
• To inform providers about survivorship challenges related to RT for rectal and anal cancers.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review.
• Analysis of recent studies and long-term follow-up of pivotal clinical trials.

Main Results:

• RT significantly impacts QOL, particularly fecal continence and sexual function.
• Modern preoperative RT techniques, by decreasing radiation dose to organs-at-risk, are expected to improve QOL.

Conclusions:

• RT is crucial for treating rectal and anal cancers but profoundly affects QOL for some patients.
• Recent studies incorporate PROs and validated QOL metrics to enhance provider and patient understanding.