Sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with health-related quality of life among patients with colorectal cancer: a multicentre cross-sectional study in Italy
9 affiliations
- 1Dipartimento di Scienze Della Salute, Università di Genova, Genova, Italy
- 2Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS e Dipartimento SEGESTA, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- 3Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, Italy
- 4Niguarda Cancer Center, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda e Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- 5Fondazione Poliambulanza, Istituto Ospedaliero, Brescia, Italy
- 6Istituto Clinico Humanitas di Rozzano, Milano, Italy
- 7Clinical Cancer Centre, AUSL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
- 8Istituto Oncologico Veneto IRCCS di Padova, Padova, Italy
- 9ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII, Ospedale di Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy
Abstract
BackgroundColorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality worldwide. The disease and its treatments significantly impact patients' quality of life (QoL), including physical, psychological, and social functioning. Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) complement clinical assessments. This study aimed to evaluate factors influencing QoL among patients across type of treatments using the EORTC-C30 and QLQ-CR29 questionnaires.MethodsThis multicentre, cross-sectional observational study was conducted in seven Italian oncology centres from July 2022 to April 2023. A convenience sample of 498 adult patients was recruited from surgical, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy pathways. Multivariable linear regression with robust standard errors was used for multi-item scores, and ordinal logistic regression for single-item outcomes. Analyses used multiple imputation with outcome-specific exclusion of originally missing responses, complete-case sensitivity analyses, and false discovery rate (FDR) correction for secondary associations.ResultsGlobal Health Status/QoL was available for 486 patients (mean 65.79, SD 20.63). Lower scores were associated with poorer ECOG performance status (β per point = −7.26; 95% CI −10.26 to −4.26), stoma presence (β = −8.42; 95% CI −13.82 to −3.03), and insufficient income (β = −6.58; 95% CI −11.33 to −1.82). After FDR correction, secondary findings included associations of poorer performance status with impaired functioning and greater symptom burden, insufficient income with financial difficulties, and stoma presence with sore skin and embarrassment.ConclusionSociodemographic and clinical factors were associated with global health status/QoL and specific secondary outcomes. The findings highlight the relevance of personalised care addressing symptom management and social needs. Future research should focus on tailored interventions for the most vulnerable patient groups.
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BibTeX
@article{nitto2026sociodemographic,
title = {{Sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with health-related quality of life among patients with colorectal cancer: a multicentre cross-sectional study in Italy}},
author = {Marco Di Nitto and Giuditta Chiloiro and Daniela D'Angelo and Andrea Sartore-Bianchi and Carlotta Ferretti and Antonino Spinelli and Francesco Iachetta and Sara Lonardi and Stefania Mosconi and Roberto Persiani and Antonio Giulio de Belvis and Velia Bruno and Alice Josephine Fauci and the GIRO Working Group},
journal = {Frontiers in Health Services},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.3389/frhs.2026.1918684},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/frhs.2026.1918684},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with health-related quality of life among patients with colorectal cancer: a multicentre cross-sectional study in Italy
AU - Marco Di Nitto
AU - Giuditta Chiloiro
AU - Daniela D'Angelo
AU - Andrea Sartore-Bianchi
AU - Carlotta Ferretti
AU - Antonino Spinelli
AU - Francesco Iachetta
AU - Sara Lonardi
AU - Stefania Mosconi
AU - Roberto Persiani
AU - Antonio Giulio de Belvis
AU - Velia Bruno
AU - Alice Josephine Fauci
AU - the GIRO Working Group
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/11
JO - Frontiers in Health Services
DO - 10.3389/frhs.2026.1918684
UR - https://doi.org/10.3389/frhs.2026.1918684
AB - BackgroundColorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality worldwide. The disease and its treatments significantly impact patients' quality of life (QoL), including physical, psychological, and social functioning. Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) complement clinical assessments. This study aimed to evaluate factors influencing QoL among patients across type of treatments using the EORTC-C30 and QLQ-CR29 questionnaires.MethodsThis multicentre, cross-sectional observational study was conducted in seven Italian oncology centres from July 2022 to April 2023. A convenience sample of 498 adult patients was recruited from surgical, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy pathways. Multivariable linear regression with robust standard errors was used for multi-item scores, and ordinal logistic regression for single-item outcomes. Analyses used multiple imputation with outcome-specific exclusion of originally missing responses, complete-case sensitivity analyses, and false discovery rate (FDR) correction for secondary associations.ResultsGlobal Health Status/QoL was available for 486 patients (mean 65.79, SD 20.63). Lower scores were associated with poorer ECOG performance status (β per point = −7.26; 95% CI −10.26 to −4.26), stoma presence (β = −8.42; 95% CI −13.82 to −3.03), and insufficient income (β = −6.58; 95% CI −11.33 to −1.82). After FDR correction, secondary findings included associations of poorer performance status with impaired functioning and greater symptom burden, insufficient income with financial difficulties, and stoma presence with sore skin and embarrassment.ConclusionSociodemographic and clinical factors were associated with global health status/QoL and specific secondary outcomes. The findings highlight the relevance of personalised care addressing symptom management and social needs. Future research should focus on tailored interventions for the most vulnerable patient groups.
SN - 2813-0146
ER -