Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38789659›Full record

Observational studyJournal of cancer survivorship : research and practice2025

Sex differences in health-related quality of life and psychological distress among colorectal cancer patients: a 2-year longitudinal study.

Cynthia S Bonhof, Belle H de Rooij, Dounya Schoormans, Dareczka K Wasowicz, Gerard Vreugdenhil, Floortje Mols

Abstract readComparative StudyMulticenter StudyObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Cynthia S BonhofCoRPS-Center of Research on Psychological Disorders and Somatic diseases, Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
Belle H de RooijCoRPS-Center of Research on Psychological Disorders and Somatic diseases, Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
Dounya SchoormansCoRPS-Center of Research on Psychological Disorders and Somatic diseases, Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
Dareczka K WasowiczDepartment of Surgery, Elisabeth-Twee Steden hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
Gerard VreugdenhilDepartment of Internal Medicine, Máxima Medical Centre, Eindhoven and Veldhoven, The Netherlands.
Floortje MolsCoRPS-Center of Research on Psychological Disorders and Somatic diseases, Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands. F.Mols@Tilburguniversity.edu.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeWhile sex differences in the incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer (CRC) are well documented, less is known about sex differences in patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psychological distress. To enhance patient-tailored care, we aimed to longitudinally examine sex differences in HRQoL and psychological distress among CRC patients from diagnosis up until 2-year follow-up.

methodsNewly diagnosed CRC patients from four Dutch hospitals were eligible for participation. Patients (N = 334) completed questions on HRQoL (EORTC QLQ-C30) and psychological distress (HADS) before initial treatment (baseline), 4 weeks after surgery, and at 1 and 2 years after diagnosis. Also, HRQoL and psychological distress were assessed in a sex- and age-matched reference population.

resultsWhen directly comparing female (N = 126, 38%) and male (N = 208, 62%) CRC patients, female patients reported significantly worse HRQoL, such as more insomnia at baseline, worse physical and role functioning 4 weeks after surgery, more diarrhea at 1 year, and more pain and constipation at 2-year follow-up. However, a comparison with the reference population revealed larger differences between patients and reference in males than in females. For example, at 1- and 2-year follow-up, male patients reported significantly worse cognitive and social functioning, more insomnia, and more anxiety compared with a reference population.

conclusionsEspecially male CRC patients reported worse HRQoL and more psychological distress when compared with a reference population. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Knowledge of sex-specific differences in HRQoL and psychological distress among CRC patients may help healthcare providers anticipate and appropriately address patients' unique healthcare needs.

Indexed as

Colorectal NeoplasmsPsychological DistressQuality of LifeAgedAnxietyCognitionFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedNetherlandsProspective StudiesSex FactorsSleep Initiation and Maintenance DisordersColorectal cancerGeneral populationHealth-related quality of lifePROFILESPsychological distress

Identifiers

PMID38789659
PMCPMC12546504

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.