Determinants of overall quality of life in preterminal cancer patients

Abstract

Recently, a few studies reported that fatigue was a predominant contributor to patient-perceived overall QoL in patients with different types of cancer in a relatively early stage of disease. In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether fatigue is also a major contributor to overall QoL in preterminal cancer patients. Ninety-eight preterminal cancer patients, mainly lung (44%) and gastrointestinal cancer (25%), with an estimated life expectancy of 1-6 months were included. QoL domains as well as overall QoL were measured using the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. Data were analysed by Pearson's correlations and multivariate modelling. Fatigue showed the strongest correlation with overall QoL (r = -0.63, p < 0.001), followed in decreasing order by role functioning (r = 0.53), physical functioning (r = 0.47), social functioning (r = 0.44), nausea (r = -0.37), cognitive functioning (r = 0.33), appetite loss (r = -0.31), dyspnea (r = -0.26) and emotional functioning (r = 0.24). Multivariate analysis confirmed that the fatigue scale paid by far the highest individual contribution to overall QoL (standardized regression coefficient (SRC): -0.41, p = 0.002), followed by social functioning (SRC: 0.18, p = 0.05). None of the other domains or symptom scales contributed independently to overall QoL. Our results clearly demonstrate that, in preterminal cancer patients, fatigue is a major contributor of overall QoL, corroborating reports in cancer patients in earlier disease stages.

Determinants of overall quality of life in women over the first year after surgery for early stage breast cancer

“…Few studies have examined the contribution of physical, psychological, and social well-being to patient's evaluations of overall QOL [4][5][6] in breast cancer [7]. According to Leventhal and Colman [8], there is a ''need to assess the importance assigned to various experiential domains in making quality of life judgments, and the need to understand that people observe, and then integrate, experienced events into quality of life judgments'' (p. 758).…”

Fatigue and health-related quality of life in inflammatory bowel disease

“…4,5 Persistent fatigue from chronic illness involves ongoing exhaustion that is disproportionate to exertion and not alleviated by rest. 1 Fatigue is often the most debilitating part of the disease.…”

An Italian Study on Health-Related Quality of Life and Fatigue in Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Patients with Chronic HCV Virus Infection: Similarities and Differences

“…Over time, "fatigue" and HRQoL have been more and more important as indicators of the clinical and psychological status of patients affected by chronic conditions (12)(13)(14). In particular, a relevant prevalence of "fatigue" and a significant impairment of HRQoL have been described in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in comparison with patients living with other chronic conditions [e.g.…”