Sexual Impairment and Its Effects on Quality of Life in Patients with Rectal Cancer

Background: The effects of rectal surgery on patients' postoperative quality of life (QOL) and sexual function has been little studied to date. The present study aims to address this issue. Methods: 519 patients who had undergone surgery for rectal cancer from January 1997 to January 2003 were included in the study. The EORTC-QLQ-C-30 questionnaire and an additional, tumor-specific module were administered prospectively multiple times over a 2-year period: before surgery, on discharge from the hospital, and at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after surgery. Comparisons were made between men and women, different age groups, and different surgical procedures: abdominoperineal resection (APR) versus anterior resection (AR). Results: There were significant differences between men and women on scales of function and symptoms. Women had worse scores for physical function and overall quality of life and higher values for fatigue. Sexual life was impaired in both men and women, but the impairment was significantly more severe in men, and men felt more distressed by it than women did. Physical function and overall quality of life were better in patients aged 69 and younger, while patients aged 70 and older suffered from fatigue. Younger patients had a more severe impairment of sexuality, which, over the time period of the study, led to severe emotional symptoms. Sexuality was more severely impaired in patients who had undergone APR than in those who had undergone AR. Conclusion: These findings show that the quality of life is changed by surgery for rectal cancer and is influenced by the patient's sex and age, as well as by the particular surgical approach used.