Table 2. Comparison of Quality of Life, Sexual Functioning and Menopausal Symptoms in Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy Groups.
| Scales (Items) | Radiotherapy group (N = 150) | Chemotherapy group (N = 169) | p value | Effect size |
| EORTC QLQ-C30 | ||||
| Global health status/QOL (29,30) | 81.72 | 87.38 | <0.001* | 0.41 |
| Physical functioning (1–5) | 95.51 | 97.51 | 0.026* | 0.28 |
| Role functioning (6,7) | 94.00 | 98.22 | 0.004* | 0.40 |
| Emotional functioning (21–24) | 92.80 | 95.25 | 0.07* | 0.22 |
| Cognitive functioning (20,25) | 98.11 | 98.31 | 0.798* | 0.03 |
| Social functioning (26,27) | 92.84 | 97.11 | 0.005* | 0.38 |
| Fatigue (10,12,18) | 5.04 | 1.92 | 0.013* | 0.39 |
| Nausea/Vomiting (14,15) | 1.44 | 0.00 | 0.012* | 0.41 |
| Pain (9,19) | 5.67 | 2.88 | 0.034* | 0.29 |
| Dyspnea (8) | 2.44 | 0.60 | 0.082* | 0.26 |
| Insomnia (11) | 10.00 | 11.24 | 0.606* | 0.06 |
| Appetite loss (13) | 1.78 | 0.40 | 0.089* | 0.25 |
| Constipation (16) | 4.88 | 5.95 | 0.545* | 0.07 |
| Diarrhea (17) | 2.22 | 0.00 | 0.012* | 0.42 |
| Financial difficulties (28) | 3.83 | 2.20 | 0.238* | 0.14 |
| EORTC QLQ-CX24 | ||||
| Symptom experience (31–37, 39, 41–43) | 2.75 | 1.65 | 0.003* | 0.36 |
| Body image (45–47) | 95.36 | 98.32 | 0.014* | 0.34 |
| Sexual/Vaginal functioning (50–53) | 83.52 | 88.46 | 0.001* | 0.45 |
| Lymphedema (38) | 8.22 | 4.14 | 0.054* | 0.24 |
| Peripheral neuropathy (40) | 3.11 | 3.63 | 0.684* | 0.05 |
| Menopausal symptoms (44) | 8.39 | 6.34 | 0.330* | 0.12 |
| Sexual worry (48) | 14.70 | 5.36 | 0.001* | 0.51 |
| Sexual activity (49) | 30.90 | 35.36 | 0.102* | 0.20 |
| Sexual enjoyment (54) | 32.42 | 36.22 | 0.178* | 0.18 |
| SAQ | ||||
| Sexual Pleasure (4–7,10,13) | 7.18 | 8.95 | <0.001* | 0.42 |
| Sexual Discomfort (8,9) | 2.29 | 2.51 | 0. 329* | 0.12 |
| Sexual habits (12) | 0.47 | 0.54 | 0.285* | 0.13 |
| Menopausal Symptoms | ||||
| Hot flash | No. of Patients (%) | |||
| none/a little/moderate/a little much/ very much | 120(81.1)/15(10.1) /4(2.7)/8(5.4)/1(0.7) | 158(85.9)/18(9.8) /7(3.8)/1(0.5)/0(0.0) | 0.039** | – |
| Urinary incontinence (when laugh or cry) | ||||
| none/a little/moderate/a little much/ very much | 147(98.7)/1(0.7) /0(0.0)/1(0.7)/0(0.0) | 165(99.4)/1(0.6) /0(0.0)/0(0.0)/0(0.0) | 0.323** | – |
| Urinary incontinence(in other cases) | ||||
| none/a little/moderate/a little much/ very much | 146(98.0)/2(1.3) /1(0.7)/0(0.0)/0(0.0) | 164(98.8)/1(0.6) /1(0.6)/0(0.0)/0(0.0) | 0.676** | – |
| Genital irritation / itching | ||||
| none/a little/moderate/a little much/ very much | 138(93.9)/8(5.4) /1(0.7)/0(0.0)/0(0.0) | 154(93.9)/8(4.9) /2(1.2)/0(0.0)/0(0.0) | 0.869** | – |
| Vaginal dryness | ||||
| none/a little/moderate/a little much/ very much | 85(65.4)/33(25.4) /7(5.4)/3(2.3)/2(1.5) | 116(80.6)/18(12.5) /10(6.9)/0(0.0)/0(0.0) | 0.008** | – |
| Dyspareunia | ||||
| none/a little/moderate/a little much/ very much | 88(71.5)/27(22.0) /5(4.1)/2(1.6)/1(0.8) | 124(87.3)/17(12.0) /0(0.0)/1(0.7)/0(0.0) | <0.001** | – |
| Night sweat | ||||
| none/a little/moderate/a little much/ very much | 126(85.1)/11(7.4) /5(3.4)/5(3.4)/1(0.7) | 144(86.7)/15(9.0) /7(4.2)/0(0.0)/0(0.0) | 0.172** | – |
*
The P value is based on the Mann-Whitney nonparametric test for continuous variables.
**
The P value is based on contingency-table analysis for categorical variables.