Table 1. Quality appraisal.
| Author, year (years of CRS) | Patients | Study design | Methodological quality |
Precision |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generic HRQOL instrument | Disease specific measures | Patient demographics | Follow-up and assessment methods | Follow-up consistency | Overall level of evidence | |||
| Hoksch (20), 2002 [1995-1999] | 48 | P | NO | YES; EORTC QLQ-C30 | Age: 58.3; male: 49%, BMI: NR; GC: 100%; tumour stage: 0-5%, 1A-15%, 1B-24%, 2-32%, 3A-15%, 3B-7%, 4-2%; lymph node metastasis: NR; DOI: NR; total gastrectomy: 100%; location: Germany | Baseline R; follow-up: NR | 100% PR; 85% RR | II |
| Shiraishi (21), 2002 [1993-1999] | 51 | P | NO | YES; ECOG | Age: 63.1; male: 73%; BMI: 23.3; GC: 100%; tumour stage: 1-86%, 2-14%; lymph node metastasis: 84%; DOI: mucosa-61%, submucosa-39%; total gastrectomy: 39%; location: Japan | Baseline NR; follow-up: by mail | 100% PR; 94% RR | II |
| Spector (15), 2002 [1990-1998] | 94 | R | NO | YES; GQLI, LAGS | Age: 69.7; male: 93%; BMI: NR; GC: 100%; tumour stage: NR; lymph node metastasis: NR; DOI: NR; total gastrectomy: 41%; location: USA | Baseline NR; follow-up: by mail and phone | 34% PR; 84% RR | III |
| Díaz De Liaño (22), 2003 [1992-1999] | 157 | P | NO | YES; EORTC QLQ-C30 | Age: 67; male: 67%; BMI: NR; GC: ; tumour stage: 1-61%, 2-15%, 3-22%, 4-2%; lymph node metastasis: NR; DOI: NR; total gastrectomy: 44%; location: Spain | Baseline R; follow-up: clinical examination | 43% PR; 79% RR | II |
| Kono (23), 2003 | 50 | P | NO | YES; GSRS | Age: 66.0; male: 68%; BMI: NR; GC: 100%, tumour stage: NR; lymph node metastasis: 6%; DOI: mucosa-23%, submucosa-77%; total gastrectomy: 100%; location: Japan | Baseline NR; follow-up: NR | 94% PR; 100% RR | II |
| Kahlke (24), 2004 [1992-2001] | 492 | R | NO | YES; EORTC QLQ-C30 | Age: 64.5; male: 38%; BMI: NR; GC: 100%; tumour stage: 1-1%, 2-20%, 3-37%, 4-42%; lymph node metastasis: 27%; DOI: NR; total gastrectomy: 55%; location: Germany | Baseline R; follow-up: NR | 34% PR; 30% RR | III |
| Hjermstad (25), 2006 [1990-1999] | 120 | P | NO | YES; EORTC QLQ-C30, EORTCQLQ-STO22 | Age: 63; male: 44%, BMI: NR; GC: 100%; tumour stage: 1-42%, 2-11%, 3-3%, 4-44%, lymph node metastasis: NR; DOI: NR; total gastrectomy: 28%; location: Norway | Baseline NR; follow-up: by mail and clinical examination | 33% PR; 90% RR | II |
| Ikenaga (26), 2006 [1999-2003] | 84 | P | NO | YES; QOL survey | Age: 65.2; male: 51%; BMI: 23.0; GC: 100%; tumour stage: 1A-94%, 1B-6%; lymph node metastasis: 6%; DOI: mucosa-65%, submucosa-35%; total gastrectomy: NR; location: Japan | Baseline NR; follow-up: by mail | 100% PR; 95% RR | II |
| Samarasam (27), 2006 [1999-2003] | 151 | R | NO | YES; QOL survey | Age: 51; male: 80%; BMI: NR; GC: 100%; tumour stage: 1-3%, 2-5%, 3-15%, 4-77%; lymph node metastasis: NR; DOI: NR; total gastrectomy: 26%; location: India | Baseline NR; follow-up: by mail | 91% PR; 72% RR | III |
| Huang (28), 2007 [2002-2003] | 51 | R | NO | YES; EORTC QLQ-C30, EORTC,QLQ-STO22 | Age: 65; male: 49%, BMI: 24.2; GC: NR; tumour stage: 1-29%, 2-24%, 3-33%, 4-14%; lymph node metastasis: NR; DOI: NR; total gastrectomy: 28%; location: Taiwan | Baseline NR; follow-up: NR | NR PR;NR RR | III |
| Kim (29), 2008 [2003-2005] | 183 | P | NO | EORTC QLQ-C30 | Age: 55.6; male: 60%; BMI: 24.4; GC: 100%; tumour stage: 1A-84%, 1B-12%, 2A-3%, 3B-1%; lymph node metastasis: NR; DOI: NR, total gastrectomy: 0%; location: Korea | Baseline R; follow-up: clinical examination | 90% PR; 100% RR | II |
| Tyrväinen (30), 2008 [1987-1999] | 172 | P | YES;SF-36, 15D | NO | Age: 64; male: 36%; BMI: 25.8; GC: 100%; tumour stage: 1-72%, 2-28%; lymph node metastasis: NR; DOI: NR; total gastrectomy: 100%; location: Finland | Baseline R; follow-up: by mail and clinical examination | 30% PR; 83% RR | II |
| Wu (31), 2008 [1993-1999] | 221 | P | NO | YES; Spitzer QOL Index | Age: 63.9; male: 76%, BMI: NR; GC: 100%, tumour stage: NR; lymph node metastasis: NR; DOI: NR; total gastrectomy: 24%; location: Taiwan | Baseline R; follow-up: by research nurse | 100% PR; 97% RR | I |
| Tokunaga (32), 2009 [1996-2005] | 123 | R | NO | YES; QOL survey | Age: 62.7; male: 75%; BMI: NR; GC: 100%; tumour stage: NR; lymph node metastasis: NR; DOI: NR; total gastrectomy: 0%; location: Japan | Baseline NR; follow-up: by mail | 87% PR; 78% RR | II |
| Avery (33), 2010 [2000-2004] | 58 | P | NO | YES; EORTC QLQ-C30, EORTC,QLQ-STO22 | Age: 71.0; male: 72%, BMI: 25; GC: 100%; tumour stage: 1A-10%, 1B-14%, 2-31%, 3A-26%, 3B-7%, 4-12%; lymph node metastasis: 14%, DOI: NR; total gastrectomy: 60%; location: UK | Baseline R; follow-up: by mail | 100% PR; 100% RR | II |
| Kobayashi (34), 2011 [2005-2007] | 110 | P | NO | YES; EORTC QLQ-C30, EORTC,QLQ-STO22 | Age: 61.1; male: 56%, BMI: NR; GC: 100%; tumour stage: 1-71%, 2-21%, 3-9%, 4-3%; lymph node metastasis: 33%; DOI: T1-64%, T2-26%, T3-9%, T4-0%; total gastrectomy: 10%; location: Japan | Baseline R; follow-up: by mail | 89% PR; 78% RR | II |
| Jakstaite (35), 2012 [2008-2009] | 87 | R | NO | YES; EORTC QLQ-C30 | Age: 64; male: 59%; BMI: NR; GC: 100%; tumour stage: 1-15%, 2-35%, 3-50%; lymph node metastasis: NR; DOI: NR; total gastrectomy: 100%; location: Lithuania | Baseline NR; follow-up: NR | 79% PR; 49% RR | III |
| Kim (36), 2012, [2005-2007] | 547 | P | NO | YES; EORTC QLQ-C30, EORTC QLQ-STO22 | Age: 54; male: 71%; BMI: NR; GC: 100%; tumour stage: 1-83%, 2-12%, 3-5%; lymph node metastasis: NR; DOI: NR; total gastrectomy: 19%; location: Korea | Baseline R; follow-up: NR | 92% PR; 93% RR | II |
| Kunisaki(37), 2012 [2002-2008] | 623 | P | NO | QOL Survey | Age: 65.1; male: 66%; BMI: 23.0; GC: 100%; tumour stage: 1A-66%, 1B-23%, 2-7%, 3A-5%; lymph node metastasis: 19%; DOI: T1-78%, T2A-11%, T2B-6%, T3-5%; total gastrectomy: 27%; location: Japan | Baseline NR; follow-up: NR | 86% PR; 36% RR | II |
| Lee (38), 2012 [2010-2010] | 109 | R | NO | YES; EORTC QLQ-C30, EORTCQLQ-STO22 | Age: 55.9; male: 55%; BMI: 24.1; GC: 100%; tumour stage: 1-100%; lymph node metastasis: 6%; DOI: T1-89%, T2-11%; total gastrectomy: 0%; location: Japan | Baseline R; follow-up: NR | 73% PR; 100% RR | III |
| Namikawa (39), 2012 [2004-2010] | 44 | R | NO | YES; EORTC QLQ-C30, EORTCQLQ-STO22 | Age: 64; male: 75%; BMI: NR; GC: 100%; tumour stage: NR; lymph node metastasis: NR; DOI: NR; total gastrectomy: 50%; location: Japan | Baseline NR; follow-up: NR | 100% PR; 100% RR | III |
HRQOL, health related quality of life; NA, not applicable; NR, not recorded; P, prospective; PR, participation rate; HRQOL, quality of life; R, retrospective; RR, response rate; DOI, depth of invasion; GC, gastric cancer; GQLI, gastroenterology quality of life index; GSRS, gastrointestinal symptom rating scale; LAGS, life after gastric surgery; SF-36, medical outcomes survey short form 36 questions; BP, bodily pain; GH, general health; MCS, mental component summary score; MH, mental health; PCS, physical component summary score; PF, physical functioning; RE, role emotional; RP, role physical; SF, social functioning; VT, vitality; ECOG, eastern cooperative oncology group performance status rating; EORTC QLQ-C30, European organisation for research and treatment of cancer quality of life questionnaire-cancer specific; AL, appetite loss; C, constipation; CF, cognitive function; Di, diarrhoea; Dy, dyspnoea; EF, emotional function; F, fatigue; FP, financial problems; GHS, global health status; I, insomnia; N/V, nausea/vomiting; P, pain; PF, physical function; RF, role function: SF, social function; EORTC QLQ-STO22, European organisation for research and treatment of cancer quality of life questionnaire-colon specific.