ADULTS with colorectal cancer and colostomy reported significantly poorer health-related quality of life overall than peers.
Background
Health-related quality of life is a central outcome in colorectal cancer survivorship. Surgical pathways frequently include colostomy, which can influence physical functioning and psychosocial well-being. This comparative cross-sectional study evaluated whether health-related quality of life differs between patients with and without a colostomy.
Study Details
Investigators enrolled 256 adults with colorectal cancer using convenience sampling. Of these, 127 had a colostomy and 129 did not. Participants completed the SF-36 short form alongside demographic information. Analyses used independent samples t-tests, general linear modeling, and multiple regression to compare health-related quality of life scores on a 0 to 100 scale and to explore domain-level differences.
Key Findings: Colostomy Quality of Life
Overall health-related quality of life averaged 43.03 in the colostomy group versus 51.38 in the non-colostomy group. Statistically significant between-group differences were observed for physical functioning, role limitation due to physical health, and role limitation due to emotional problems. In sex-stratified exploratory analyses, the gaps were evident among women while not observed among men. These findings suggest the presence of a clinically relevant burden concentrated in domains that affect daily activity and role performance, aligning with common survivorship concerns in colorectal cancer.
Clinical Implications
For clinicians, the results emphasize anticipatory counseling when discussing surgical plans that may involve colostomy and the need to screen for health-related quality of life deficits during follow-up. Interventions could include prompt referral to rehabilitation, stoma care education, and psychosocial support, with special attention to women who may be at greater risk for quality-of-life impacts. Incorporating routine SF-36 or comparable tools into survivorship care may help track recovery trajectories and guide timely, multidisciplinary support in hospital and community settings.
Reference: Dahouri A et al. Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Colorectal Cancer: A Comparison Between Those With and Without Colostomy. Review J Caring Sci. 2025;14(3):173–181.
