Postoperative symptom burden and factors associated with health-related quality of life within six months after pancreatic cancer surgery in middle-aged and older adults.

Purpose

To examine the simultaneous associations of postoperative pain, anxiety, and sleep quality with functional health-related quality of life (HRQOL), symptom burden, and global health status among middle-aged and older adults within six months after pancreatic cancer surgery.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 151 patients aged ≥45 years who had undergone pancreatic cancer surgery within the preceding six months. Pain, anxiety, sleep quality, and HRQOL were assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety subscale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the EORTC QLQ-C30, respectively. Pearson correlations and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted.

Results

Mean pain, anxiety, and sleep-quality scores were 5.04 ± .58, 8.41 ± 3.33, and 9.81 ± 3.97, respectively. Anxiety was correlated with poorer functional HRQOL (r = -.43), greater symptom burden (r = .38), and poorer global health status (r = -.32; all P < .001). Poorer sleep quality was also associated with all three domains (r = -.39 to .47; all P < .001). Pain was correlated only with symptom burden (r = .19, P < .05). In fully adjusted models, anxiety remained associated with functional HRQOL (β = -.323, P < .001), symptom burden (β = .208, P = .005), and global health status (β = -.194, P = .019); sleep quality showed corresponding associations (β = -.241, P = .003; β = .326, P < .001; β = -.290, P = .001). Pain remained associated only with symptom burden (β = .184, P = .008).

Conclusions

Anxiety and poor sleep quality were consistently associated with poorer HRQOL outcomes after pancreatic cancer surgery. Routine assessment of these symptoms may help identify patients requiring additional supportive care.