Effects of low anterior resection syndrome after colorectal cancer resections on health-related quality of life: a systematic review and meta-analysis - Scorecard - MDSpire
Advertisement
Effects of low anterior resection syndrome after colorectal cancer resections on health-related quality of life: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Clinical Scorecard: Impact of Low Anterior Resection Syndrome on Quality of Life in Colorectal Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
At a Glance
Category
Detail
Condition
Low Anterior Resection Syndrome (LARS) following colorectal cancer surgery
Key Mechanisms
Bowel dysfunction characterized by stool incontinence, urgency, frequency, clustering, and evacuation difficulties after sphincter-preserving rectal cancer surgeries
Target Population
Patients with colorectal cancer undergoing sphincter-preserving surgeries including low anterior resection
Care Setting
Postoperative outpatient and clinical follow-up settings assessing bowel function and quality of life
Key Highlights
LARS affects approximately 44% of patients one year after sphincter-preserving rectal cancer surgery.
Major risk factors for LARS include female sex, total mesorectal excision, chemoradiotherapy, low tumor/anastomosis location, protective stoma, and anastomotic leakage.
LARS significantly impairs multiple domains of health-related quality of life, especially social and emotional functioning.
Guideline-Based Recommendations
Diagnosis
Use the validated LARS score questionnaire to assess bowel dysfunction severity postoperatively.
Classify LARS severity as no LARS (0–20), minor LARS (21–29), or major LARS (30–42).
Management
Preoperative counseling should include discussion of potential LARS impact on quality of life.
Tailor clinical interventions based on LARS severity to address specific bowel dysfunction symptoms.
Monitoring & Follow-up
Regular postoperative assessment of bowel function using LARS score.
Evaluate health-related quality of life using EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire to monitor functional and symptom domains.
Risks
Recognize that patients with major LARS are at higher risk for impaired social and emotional quality of life.
Identify and manage risk factors such as chemoradiotherapy and anastomotic complications to mitigate LARS severity.
Patient & Prescribing Data
Patients with colorectal cancer undergoing sphincter-preserving surgeries
Assessment of bowel dysfunction severity using LARS score informs impact on quality of life and guides individualized postoperative care.
Clinical Best Practices
Incorporate LARS score assessment routinely in postoperative follow-up of colorectal cancer patients.
Use EORTC QLQ-C30 to comprehensively evaluate quality of life domains affected by bowel dysfunction.
Provide multidisciplinary support addressing social and emotional challenges related to LARS.
Educate patients preoperatively about potential bowel dysfunction and its impact on quality of life.
