Five-year quality of life of endometrial cancer patients treated in the randomised Post Operative Radiation Therapy in Endometrial Cancer (PORTEC-2) trial and comparison with norm data

Background: The PORTEC-2 trial showed efficacy and reduced side-effects of vaginal brachytherapy (VBT) compared with external beam pelvic radiotherapy (EBRT) for patients with high-intermediate risk endometrial cancer. The current analysis was done to evaluate long-term health related quality of life (HRQL), and compare HRQL of patients to an age-matched norm population. Methods: Patients were randomly allocated to EBRT (n = 214) or VBT (n = 213). HRQL was assessed using EORTC QLQ-C30 and subscales from PR25 and OV28 (bladder, bowel, sexual symptoms); and compared to norm data. Findings: Median follow-up was 65 months; 348 (81%) patients were evaluable for HRQL (EBRT n = 166, VBT n = 182). At baseline, patient functioning was at lowest level, increasing during and after radiotherapy to reach a plateau after 12 months, within range of scores of the norm population. VBT patients reported better social functioning (p = 0.005) and lower symptom scores for diarrhoea, faecal leakage, need to stay close to a toilet and limitation in daily activities due to bowel symptoms (p ≤ 0.001), compared to EBRT. There were no differences in sexual functioning or symptoms between the treatment groups; however, sexual functioning was lower and sexual symptoms more frequent in both treatment groups compared to the norm population. Interpretation: Patients who received EBRT reported clinically relevant higher levels of bowel symptoms and related limitations in daily activities with lower social functioning, 5 years after treatment. VBT provides a better HRQL, which remained similar to that of an age-matched norm population, except for sexual symptoms which were more frequent in both treatment groups.

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