TREATMENT-RELATED COMPLICATIONS IN CANCER: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF OCCURRENCE, SEVERITY, MANAGEMENT AND QUALITY OF LIFE IMPACT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22159/ijhs.2026v14.59018Keywords:
HRQoL (Health related quality of life, Cancer complications, Occurrence, Treatment, Severity, SurvivorsAbstract
Treatment-related complications pose a formidable challenge for the patient with cancer, regardless of what cancer or modality of treatment, dramatically impacting clinical outcomes, psychology, and overall quality of life. This full analysis combines findings from numerous studies of 598,751 cancer patients to assess the prevalence, magnitude, management strategies, and impact on quality of life of such complications. The results affirm that 49% of cancer patients endure financial stresses, tangible and intangible; for long-term survivors, the highest frequency complications seen are diminished physical performance (36.3%), fatigue (35.1%), sexual malfunction (34.7%), sleep disturbances (34.1%), and arthralgia (33.8%). Modality-specific complications differ greatly based on the modality being used: surgical patients have immediate post-operative perils with late onset dysfunctions, serious complications occurring for 33% of survivors of esophagectomy; radiation and hormone therapies produce mainly urinary, gastrointestinal, and sexual concerns; while modality-based approaches using precision medicine have a lower incidence of mortality due to treatment (1.5% vs. 2.3%). Psychological complications are prevalent, emotionally- and cognition-related functions being dramatically below population means, especially for female patients. The uninsured have twice the risk for financial stresses than do the uninsured, first periods of treatment showing greatest financial toxicity corresponding with medication non-compliance, weaker health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Efficient management strategies are multidisciplinary support care models, which enhance end-of-life findings, and modality-based approaches using precision medicine, which reduce mortality rates while retaining response rates. Despite available measures, persistent gaps persist between quality of life needs, especially between emotionally- and cognition-related functions, due to extensive surgical complications inducing permanent impairments for many quality of life measurements even 5 years post-treatment. These results signal a need for comprehensive planning for survivors, more integration of psychosocial support, and targeted interventions for managing a high volume of unmet needs for cancer care.
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