[The quality of life of prostatic cancer patients]

A questionnaire was used to assess the quality of life (QOL) of forty-two outpatients with prostate cancer. Most of the patients were old, so reduced physical comfort was correlated with bodily factors other than those caused by prostate cancer. Many patients with progressive disease reported disease--and treatment--related physical problems that tended to be correlated to the extent of the disease. Many patients treated with female hormones complained of breast induration or discomfort. Patient's sexual life was impaired remarkably. Our treatment for cancer pain would be especially inadequate to cancer pain relief. We must give positive aid to cancer pain relief from now on. Most patients lost sexual interest after developing prostate cancer. Only three of the patients were able to have sexual intercourse. Some of the patients who underwent radical prostatectomy suffered from urinary incontinence after the operation. Thus, the patients' social life was remarkably affected for relative good performance status. Many patients lived only with other elderly individuals. Therefore, it is also important to manage patients in the light of their living environment.