Multidimensional Predictors of Functional Recovery After Curative Colon Cancer Surgery: A Patient-Reported Outcomes...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Health Outcomes Research
• Patient-Centered Care

Background:

• Patient-related factors like functional status, comorbidities, and quality of life (QoL) impact outcomes after colon cancer surgery.
• Limited data exists on these factors in low- and middle-income countries.
• Understanding these factors is crucial for improving patient care post-resection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between functional status, comorbidities, and QoL in patients undergoing curative colon cancer resection.
• To identify key predictors of functional well-being in this patient population.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study of 402 adult colon cancer patients in Pakistan.
• Assessed functional status using ECOG Performance Status, comorbidity burden with Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and QoL with FACT-C.
• Employed correlation analysis, descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and multiple linear regression.

Main Results:

• Strong positive correlations were found across all QoL domains (p < 0.05).
• Functional well-being significantly differed by age group, peaking in those >60 years (p = 0.006).
• Physical, emotional, social well-being, additional concerns, and age predicted functional well-being, explaining 38.4% of variance.

Conclusions:

• Physical, emotional, and social well-being are significantly associated with functional well-being post-colon cancer resection.
• Routine QoL and functional status evaluation can identify at-risk patients.
• Tailored supportive care can be guided by these assessments for improved postoperative well-being.