Correlation of psychosocial factors (PSF) before and throughout treatment with response to chemotherapy (CTx) in patients (pts) with advanced gastrointestinal (GI) cancers: Does psychosocial status predict tumor remission?

Abstract

542 Background: CTx has shown to have a positive impact on improving or maintaining quality of life (QoL) in patients with advanced GI cancers. The role of PSF in relation to objective tumor response (OTR) to CTx is not well described yet. We thus evaluated the predictive value of pretreatment PSF on OTR as well as the continuous evaluation of PSF in regard to OTR throughout treatment. Methods: Eligible pts had metastatic or recurrent GI cancer and were about to receive first- and second-line palliative CTx. QoL, physical symptoms and PSF were assessed by the EORTC QLQ C30, the MSKCC-Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS), and a modified Brief-COPE before treatment start and after discussing the results of the first follow up OTR assessment. OTR was either classified according to RECIST or using a remission based approach (RA), classifying response as any decrease in size, and no change or progression as non-response. Results: 50 pts (median age 61.8 years, ECOG 0/1/2 12%/62%/26%, 21 female, 40% colorectal, 28% biliopancreatic, 24% esophagogastric, 78% 1st line CTx) were enrolled. OTR was 32% partial response, 50% stable disease and 18% progressive disease according to RECIST, and 60% response vs. 40% non-response according to RA. Interestingly, patients responding (RECIST and RA) to CTx had better role/emotional/cognitive functioning, mental state, global distress index, active coping, positive reframing, and belief in control over their lives, and less acceptance of their disease before treatment. PSF significantly predicted response (RA) to CTx, even if adjusted for age, cancer type, and line of treatment (p<0.05). During course of treatment, PSF remained largely unchanged in responders, whereas non-responders loose belief and confidence in control, safety and equity and tend to increased denial (RECIST and RA). Those findings were more pronounced using the RA classification than RECIST. Conclusions: Pretreatment PSF seem to have predictive value for response to CTx in GI cancer patients. PSF changes in non-responding patients may be an early indicator for the need for psychological support in this patient group.