A longitudinal study of gender differences in quality of life among Japanese patients with lower rectal cancer treated with sphincter-saving surgery: a 1-year follow-up

Table 5 Correlations between global health status/QOL scores and functional and symptom scales of EORTC QLQ-CR38

			EORTC QLQ-CR38
			Functional scales				Symptom scales/items (#)
			Body image	Future perspective	Sexual functioning	Sexual enjoyment	Micturition problems	Gastrointestinal tract symptoms	Defecation problems	Weight loss
Before Surgery	Men	R	0.674	0.699	0.222	0.200	−0.137	−0.422	−0.349	−0.288
		p	<0.001	<0.001	0.158	0.397	0.387	0.005	0.025	0.064
	Women	R	0.585	0.167	0.144	0.546	−0.182	−0.377	−0.206	−0.355
		p	0.001	0.354	0.455	0.129	0.312	0.031	0.266	0.043
1 month after surgery	Men	R	0.565	0.685	0.240	0.575	−0.241	−0.528	−0.527	−0.568
		p	<0.001	<0.001	0.125	0.025	0.124	<0.001	<0.001	0.001
	Women	R	0.602	0.543	0.063	0.278	−0.166	−0.437	−0.430	−0.330
		p	<0.001	0.001	0.733	0.594	0.357	0.011	0.012	0.061
6 months after surgery	Men	R	0.450	0.501	0.193	0.281	−0.311	−0.393	−0.538	−0.159
		p	0.003	0.002	0.221	0.072	0.045	0.010	<0.001	0.315
	Women	R	0.205	0.247	0.549	0.415	−0.136	−0.083	−0.082	−0.100
		p	0.252	0.165	0.001	0.016	0.452	0.644	0.650	0.582
12 months after surgery	Men	R	0.450	0.501	0.193	0.281	−0.311	−0.393	−0.538	−0.159
		p	0.003	0.002	0.221	0.072	0.045	0.010	<0.001	0.315
	Women	R	0.352	0.469	0.211	0.218	−0.470	−0.213	−0.235	−0.154
		p	0.044	0.006	0.247	0.230	0.006	0.234	0.188	0.391

Males (n = 42), females (n = 33). Higher scores on functional scales and overall QOL scale indicate higher levels of functioning. Higher scores on symptoms scale or single items (#) indicate higher levels of symptoms or problems.

ISSN: 1477-7819