Association of baseline health-related quality of life and survival in esophagogastric cancers.

Abstract

118 Background: Baseline health-related quality of life (HRQL) is a prognostic factor for survival in patients with cancer; however contradictory results have been reported. We studied whether HRQL scores are associated with survival in patients with esophagogastric cancers. Methods: Patients with biopsy proven esophagogastric cancer were recruited prospectively. All were invited to respond the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. The prognostic role of usual clinical variables and HRQL data was analyzed dividing patients in two groups: 1) palliative intention or 2) curative intention treatments. The Kaplan-Meier and Cox's methods were used for bivariate or multivariate analysis, respectively. Results: A total of 259 cases were included, 99 were woman and 160 male (mean age 54.3). One-hundred thirty-three patients of group one, presented significant association with survival in nine of 15 HRQL scales (p < 0.05). A multivariate model was constructed including basal serum albumin (hazard ratio [HR] 0.48; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.34–0.68), Role functioning scale (HR 0.989; 95% CI: 0.98–0.99), Social functioning scale (HR 1.01; 95% CI: 1.005–1.019) and Nausea/Vomiting scale (HR 1.01; 95% CI: 1.01; 95% CI 1.006–1.02) (model p < 0.0001). One-hundred twenty-six patients of group two, presented significant association with survival in eight of 15 HRQL scales (p < 0.05). A multivariate model was constructed including definitive TNM stages (HR 8.7, 14.2, 10.1 for stages II, III and IV, respectively; reference category stage I), age (HR 1.04; 95% CI: 1.009–1.065), Social functioning scale (HR 0.98; 95% CI: 0.98–0.99), Pain scale (HR 1.024; 95% CI: 1.01–1.04) (model p < 0.0001). Conclusions: These results suggest that HRQL provide significant prognostic information in addition to traditional clinical measures in patients with esophagogastric cancer. Prospective confirmatory studies are warranted. No significant financial relationships to disclose.