Quality of life in long-term survivors of nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumors

Abstract

A total of 109 survivors of curative therapy for nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumor was interviewed an average of 9 years after treatment to assess long-term physical, emotional and sexual sequelae. An age-matched group of healthy men were interviewed similarly as controls. Of the physical sequelae loss of ejaculation was prominent (30% of the patients) and appeared directly related to retroperitoneal lymph node dissection surgery (p < 0.01). Hypofertility was apparent among patients during the posttreatment period compared to controls (p < 0.01). Other physical complications were present in 35% of the patients and 8% were severe. Laparotomy was associated with incisional hernia and radiotherapy with gastrointestinal complications (p < 0.001). Psychoemotional status was similar among patients and controls before cancer diagnosis but 60% of the patients had obvious emotional problems during the treatment period, which were more severe in those who had a history of such problems. Anxiety, often with insomnia, affected 49% of the patients, while irritability and depression were noted in 34%. At the interview 30% of the patients versus 5% of the controls had psychoemotional dysfunction (p < 0.001) but half of the affected patients had a history of problems preexisting the diagnosis of cancer. Sexual complaints were encountered in 19% of the patients before cancer diagnosis compared to only 7% of the controls (p < 0.02). During cancer therapy 57% of the patients had sexual symptoms, primarily loss of erection and decreased frequency of intercourse. Residual problems were more prevalent among patients (38%) than controls (11%, p < 0.001). Sexual impairment was associated with direct treatment effects and persisted more often when symptoms developed during the treatment period. Although direct treatment related effects should decrease with modern single modality therapy, appropriate attention should be placed on counseling to help avoid long-term psychoemotional and sexual complications of the disease process and its treatment.