Quality of Life and Survival in Lung Cancer Patients
Author Information
Author(s): Donald P. Braun, Digant Gupta, Edgar D. Staren
Primary Institution: Cancer Treatment Centers of America® at Midwestern Regional Medical Center
Hypothesis
Can quality of life at admission predict survival in lung cancer patients?
Conclusion
Baseline global quality of life and physical function provide useful prognostic information in non-small cell lung cancer patients.
Supporting Evidence
- Every 10-point increase in physical function was associated with a 10% increase in survival.
- Every 10-point increase in global QoL was associated with a 9% increase in survival.
- Physical function, nausea/vomiting, insomnia, and diarrhea predicted survival in newly diagnosed patients.
- Physical function was predictive of survival in previously treated patients.
Takeaway
If lung cancer patients feel better and can do more, they tend to live longer. This study shows that how patients rate their quality of life can help doctors understand their chances of survival.
Methodology
QoL was evaluated using EORTC-QLQ-C30 prior to treatment, and survival was analyzed using univariate and multivariate Cox regression.
Potential Biases
The patient cohort was limited to English speakers, which may not represent the entire lung cancer population.
Limitations
The study is retrospective and may not account for all factors influencing survival, such as comorbidities and socioeconomic status.
Participant Demographics
Mean age was 58.3 years; 50.3% male and 49.7% female; included patients with all stages of lung cancer.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI = 6% to 14%
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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