Abstract
Patients with Stage I gastric cancer experience decreased postgastrectomy quality of life (QoL) despite the excellent surgical outcomes. We need to find foundational data required to develop effective nursing care plans designed to improve their QoL. This study examined QoL of patients with Stage I gastric cancer over time following gastrectomy and the effects of QoL subdomains on the patients' overall QoL over time after surgery. Data were collected from 138 patients with Stage I gastric cancer who had undergone gastrectomy within the previous 3 years. Data were classified into 3 groups according to the length of postsurgery time: 12 months or less (Group 1), 13-24 months (Group 2), and 25-36 months (Group 3). A confirmatory factor analysis was performed to examine the effects of QoL subdomains. Quality of life of patients with Stage I gastric cancer improves over time following gastrectomy. Postoperative physical symptoms influenced QoL most in Group 1 patients, whereas physical well-being and emotional well-being were the highest contributors to QoL in Groups 2 and 3, respectively. Nursing interventions must be tailored to meet the particular needs of patients at each period of recovery in order to improve QoL of patients with Stage I gastric cancer after a gastrectomy.