Introduction

Women undergoing urinary radical cystectomy (RC) and urinary diversion for bladder
cancer had some early and late complications, and experience substantial limitations in
health-related quality of life (HRQoL). At present, there are sparse studies that evaluated
the levels of discomfort in long-terms survivors (1-3). In the present study, we used the
validated Italian version of QLQ-BLM30 and QLQ-C30 from EORTC to assess bladder
cancer-specific HRQoL between patients with bladder cancer undergoing Ileal othotopic
neobladder (IONB) and ileal conduit (IC) after RC and with long term follow up.
Material and Methods
From June 2007 to September 2013 we evaluated 48 females with bladder cancer in five
urological academic centres. In this study we retrospectively analyzed the HRQoL in 33
women undergoing IC and in 15 females with IONB; all patients had no evidence of
tumour recurrence and were actively followed-up.
Questionnaire results were analyzed in order to evaluate the HRQoL in women undergoing
IONB and IC. Mean values with standard deviations (SD) were computed for all items.
Wilcoxon two sample test was used to verify differences. Statistical significance was
achieved if p-value was 0.05 (two-sides).
Results
The median age of patients with IONB was 56 years (range: 44-81) and 71 years in those
with IC (range 52-86). The median of follow-up was 39 months (range: 16-120) in those
with an IONB and 40 months (range 6-153) in the 33 remaining women with IC. Our data
showed that patients with IC had a better physical functioning (higer score means a better
functionality) in comparison to those with IONB (75.424.0 and 58.220.8 respectively;
p=0.008) as well in social functioning (80.323.7 and 60.023.4 respectively; p=0.01). In
addition women with IC had fewer symptoms (lower score means a low level of
symptomatology/problems) such as nausea and vomiting in comparison with those with
IONB (2.57.4 and 12.216.0 respectively; p=0.008) and also had lower financial
difficulties (10.117.6 and 31.136.7 respectively; p=0.04).
Discussion
Our study based on long-term follow-up showed a better physical and social functioning,
less symptoms such as nausea and vomiting and reduced financial difficulties patients with
IC in comparison with patients undergoing IONB.
Conclusion
Patients with IONB have a negative impact on HRQoL in comparison with patients with IC.
References
1.

Body Image and Bladder Cancer Spoecific Quality of Life in Patients With Ileal
Conduit and neobladder Urinary Diversion Urology (2010); 3: 671-75.

2.

Quality of life aspects of bladder cancer: A review of the literature QoL Res (2003);
12: 675-88

3.

Development of a questionnaire specifically for patients with Ileal Orthotopic

Neobladder (IONB) Health Qual Life Outcomes (2014); 12: 135