[Quality of life, prevalence and profile of patient with malignant neoplasm: a case-control population-based study]. / Qualidade de vida, prevalência e perfil do paciente com neoplasia maligna: um estudo de caso-controle de base populacional.

OBJECTIVE: this study had the aim to know the prevalence, profile and the quality of life (QoL) of patients with malignant neoplasm in a small Southern Brazilian county. Besides largely studied this study is justified due a lack of information in the Brazilian population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional population-based and case-control study. The data were collected between May to August 2008 in all residences of the municipal district and, for each sick individual a sex and age matched control were selected. QoL was evaluated through WHOQOL-Bref. RESULTS: Fifty eight patients were identified with age between 11 to 90 years (mean 62.9 ± 16.5). The prevalence of individuals with malignant neoplasm was 1% in the municipal district and those had statistically worst QoL when compared with controls. CONCLUSION: This census performed in the district of Luzerna/ Brazil showed that 1% of the district population has cancer and the results indicate that that specific population has poorer QoL, independently of age and tumor kind.