Considerable progress has been made in the management of advanced and recurrent pelvic cancer over the last few decades. However, much emphasis has been placed on surgical and hospital-related outcomes. In recent years, there has been an increased focus on patient quality-of-life following major abdominopelvic surgery. However, there is a lack of updated evidence on how patients manage and perceive their stomas. Managing a stoma is a difficult task for patients and can adversely effect their quality-of-life. This study will investigate specifically the impact of managing a urostomy or ileal conduit. Patients will be contacted via an anonymized, opt-in SMS or email to answer a questionnaire, having previously been provided with a patient information leaflet. This will take approximately 5 minutes to complete and will be carried out just prior to and at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months post-operatively. All of this data will be collated and published as part of a wider investigation in to patient quality-of-life following major abdominal and pelvic surgery. This study will be carried out in 35 countries.
The outcomes of patients who undergo radical surgery for locally advanced and recurrent rectal cancer have improved vastly, but there is a lack of emphasis on the quality-of-life outcomes of these patients. This study will assess the patient experience of having a stoma for urinary diversion as part of surgery for advanced pelvic malignancy. This will be assessed at regular intervals both before and after surgery with the goal of increasing awareness of patient beliefs and concerns with regards to their stomas and to devise interventions that will improve their quality-of-life.