Differential changes in self-reported quality of life in elderly populations after diagnosis of a genitourinary...

The time of cancer diagnosis is a major event during which quality of life (QOL) can be affected and represents a crucial time to identify patients at high risk of decline. We sought to compare the differential effects of the diagnosis of 3 major urologic malignancies on QOL.

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare Health Outcomes Survey database was queried for patients who completed a QOL questionnaire (SF-36 or VR-12) before and after a diagnosis of bladder, kidney, or prostate cancer. Primary outcome measures were the mental component summary (MCS), and physical component summary (PCS) scores. Mixed effects linear regression was performed with cancer diagnosis as the primary variable of interest, with race and cardiovascular comorbidity status included as potentially confounding independent variables.

There were 3,258 patients with urologic cancers. Both MCS and PCS scores dropped after diagnosis in all disease states. Bladder and kidney cancer patients demonstrated the greatest decline in MCS score (-1.762 points, 95% CI-2.571 to -0.952, P < 0.001) and PCS score (-3.769 points, 95% CI-5.042 to -2.496, P < 0.001), respectively, after adjustment for potential confounders. By contrast, prostate cancer patients demonstrated the smallest decline in both domains. Race and cardiovascular comorbidity status were independently associated with QOL, with an association 2 to 3 times greater than that of cancer diagnosis.

Diagnosis of a urologic cancer was associated with a decline in patient-reported QOL, particularly in those with bladder or kidney cancer. Changes in physical health were more prominent than in mental health. Race and cardiovascular comorbidity status influenced QOL domains to a greater extent than specific urologic cancer diagnosis.