Health-related quality of life in long-term differentiated thyroid cancer survivors: A cross-sectional Tunisian-based study
Background and AimThe incidence of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) has risen dramatically worldwide. Despite an excellent prognosis, the growing DTC survivors’ community often features poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL), which challenges long-term DTC care, particularly in developing So...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-08-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Endocrinology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2022.999331/full |
| _version_ | 1817999689339895808 |
|---|---|
| author | Abdel Mouhaymen Missaoui Fatma Hamza Mohamed Maaloul Hana Charfi Wiem Ghrissi Mohamed Abid Fadhel Guermazi |
| author_facet | Abdel Mouhaymen Missaoui Fatma Hamza Mohamed Maaloul Hana Charfi Wiem Ghrissi Mohamed Abid Fadhel Guermazi |
| author_sort | Abdel Mouhaymen Missaoui |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background and AimThe incidence of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) has risen dramatically worldwide. Despite an excellent prognosis, the growing DTC survivors’ community often features poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL), which challenges long-term DTC care, particularly in developing Southern Mediterranean and African countries. We aimed to assess the HRQoL and to investigate its determinants in disease-free Tunisian DTC survivors.MethodsWe conducted a three-month cross-sectional study that included 266 patients diagnosed with DTC. We assessed the HRQoL in eligible participants using the short form–36 health survey, in comparison with 76 healthy controls.ResultsThe 86 eligible DTC survivors were predominantly female (89.5%) with an average age of 44.3 ± 12.5 years. Physical-functioning (PF), role-physical (RP), and pain domains were substantially altered compared to the reference population. Age was negatively associated with PF, RP, role-emotional (RE), and social functioning (SF). Tumor size and lymph node metastases affected general health and PF, respectively. The cancer-free survival duration was positively correlated with mental health (MH). Poor neck scar healing and persistent post-operative hypoparathyroidism significantly deteriorate MH. Pain perception was positively correlated with the radioactive iodine cumulative dose. Subclinical hyperthyroidism significantly reduced PF and RP scores. TSH suppression was negatively and strongly correlated with MH and SF scores.ConclusionHRQoL is substantially reduced in DTC survivors compared to the normative Tunisian population. These results could be extrapolated to similar individuals in other South Mediterranean and African countries. The development of coordinated multidisciplinary aftercare interventions in this region is warranted to preserve HRQoL in DTC survivors. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T03:12:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4084edd5753d439ea458c3f2045065d8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-2392 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T03:12:22Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Endocrinology |
| spelling | doaj.art-4084edd5753d439ea458c3f2045065d82022-12-22T02:15:34ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Endocrinology1664-23922022-08-011310.3389/fendo.2022.999331999331Health-related quality of life in long-term differentiated thyroid cancer survivors: A cross-sectional Tunisian-based studyAbdel Mouhaymen Missaoui0Fatma Hamza1Mohamed Maaloul2Hana Charfi3Wiem Ghrissi4Mohamed Abid5Fadhel Guermazi6Department of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Hedi Chaker Univsersity Hospital, Sfax, TunisiaDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, Habib Bouguiba University Hospital, Sfax, TunisiaDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, Habib Bouguiba University Hospital, Sfax, TunisiaDepartment of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Hedi Chaker Univsersity Hospital, Sfax, TunisiaDepartment of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Hedi Chaker Univsersity Hospital, Sfax, TunisiaDepartment of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Hedi Chaker Univsersity Hospital, Sfax, TunisiaDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, Habib Bouguiba University Hospital, Sfax, TunisiaBackground and AimThe incidence of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) has risen dramatically worldwide. Despite an excellent prognosis, the growing DTC survivors’ community often features poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL), which challenges long-term DTC care, particularly in developing Southern Mediterranean and African countries. We aimed to assess the HRQoL and to investigate its determinants in disease-free Tunisian DTC survivors.MethodsWe conducted a three-month cross-sectional study that included 266 patients diagnosed with DTC. We assessed the HRQoL in eligible participants using the short form–36 health survey, in comparison with 76 healthy controls.ResultsThe 86 eligible DTC survivors were predominantly female (89.5%) with an average age of 44.3 ± 12.5 years. Physical-functioning (PF), role-physical (RP), and pain domains were substantially altered compared to the reference population. Age was negatively associated with PF, RP, role-emotional (RE), and social functioning (SF). Tumor size and lymph node metastases affected general health and PF, respectively. The cancer-free survival duration was positively correlated with mental health (MH). Poor neck scar healing and persistent post-operative hypoparathyroidism significantly deteriorate MH. Pain perception was positively correlated with the radioactive iodine cumulative dose. Subclinical hyperthyroidism significantly reduced PF and RP scores. TSH suppression was negatively and strongly correlated with MH and SF scores.ConclusionHRQoL is substantially reduced in DTC survivors compared to the normative Tunisian population. These results could be extrapolated to similar individuals in other South Mediterranean and African countries. The development of coordinated multidisciplinary aftercare interventions in this region is warranted to preserve HRQoL in DTC survivors.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2022.999331/fullthyroid cancerhealth-related quality of lifecancer survivorshippsychosocial oncologyhead and neck neoplasmsdeveloping countries |
| spellingShingle | Abdel Mouhaymen Missaoui Fatma Hamza Mohamed Maaloul Hana Charfi Wiem Ghrissi Mohamed Abid Fadhel Guermazi Health-related quality of life in long-term differentiated thyroid cancer survivors: A cross-sectional Tunisian-based study Frontiers in Endocrinology thyroid cancer health-related quality of life cancer survivorship psychosocial oncology head and neck neoplasms developing countries |
| title | Health-related quality of life in long-term differentiated thyroid cancer survivors: A cross-sectional Tunisian-based study |
| title_full | Health-related quality of life in long-term differentiated thyroid cancer survivors: A cross-sectional Tunisian-based study |
| title_fullStr | Health-related quality of life in long-term differentiated thyroid cancer survivors: A cross-sectional Tunisian-based study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Health-related quality of life in long-term differentiated thyroid cancer survivors: A cross-sectional Tunisian-based study |
| title_short | Health-related quality of life in long-term differentiated thyroid cancer survivors: A cross-sectional Tunisian-based study |
| title_sort | health related quality of life in long term differentiated thyroid cancer survivors a cross sectional tunisian based study |
| topic | thyroid cancer health-related quality of life cancer survivorship psychosocial oncology head and neck neoplasms developing countries |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2022.999331/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT abdelmouhaymenmissaoui healthrelatedqualityoflifeinlongtermdifferentiatedthyroidcancersurvivorsacrosssectionaltunisianbasedstudy AT fatmahamza healthrelatedqualityoflifeinlongtermdifferentiatedthyroidcancersurvivorsacrosssectionaltunisianbasedstudy AT mohamedmaaloul healthrelatedqualityoflifeinlongtermdifferentiatedthyroidcancersurvivorsacrosssectionaltunisianbasedstudy AT hanacharfi healthrelatedqualityoflifeinlongtermdifferentiatedthyroidcancersurvivorsacrosssectionaltunisianbasedstudy AT wiemghrissi healthrelatedqualityoflifeinlongtermdifferentiatedthyroidcancersurvivorsacrosssectionaltunisianbasedstudy AT mohamedabid healthrelatedqualityoflifeinlongtermdifferentiatedthyroidcancersurvivorsacrosssectionaltunisianbasedstudy AT fadhelguermazi healthrelatedqualityoflifeinlongtermdifferentiatedthyroidcancersurvivorsacrosssectionaltunisianbasedstudy |