Quality of life assessment on non-small cell lung cancer patients treated by molecular targeted therapy

Abstract

Introduction: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide and in Vietnam. Among lung cancer cases, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for approximately 85%. Most patients are diagnosed at the advanced stage, hence systemic therapy plays a crucial role to increase survival time. Targeted therapy is now the standard of care for NSCLC with TKIs sensitive mutations because of its efficacy and tolerability. The study of QoL in these groups of patients remains limited in Vietnam. Objectives: To evaluate the quality of life in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) being treated by targeted therapy and to determine the factors that affect the quality of life (QOL). Methodology: A descriptive study was conducted on 55 non-small cell lung cancer patients being treated at the Hue Central Hospital and the Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital from 6/2021 to 8/2022. The EORTC QLQ-C30 was used to assess the quality of life. Evaluation of the quality of life by descriptive statistics. The linear regression test was used to determine the correlated factor. Results: The mean age of the group of patients was 66.6 ± 9.9. The global health scale was 55.8 ± 12.6 which was found to be related to the level of depression DASS21 (p < 0.01). In the functional scale, the cognitive function had the highest score (84.2 ± 14.8), and the lowest was social function items (42.4 ± 18.9). The function score was found to be correlated to the disease duration (p < 0.05) and DASS21 (p < 0.01) Less common symptoms were constipation and nausea. The most prominent symptoms were loss of appetite and fatigue. The symptom score was related to the disease duration (p = 0.02) and DASS21 (p < 0.01). In terms of financial impact, the mean score was 41.2 (± 38.5), related to the residence (p = 0.04), occupation (p = 0.04), and economic condition (p = 0.01). Conclusion: The global health QoL score was quite high in NSCLC patients treated with molecular targeted therapy. The residence, occupation, economic conditions, duration of illness, and DASS21 were associated with the QoL of patients. Key words: non-small cell lung cancer, quality of life, molecular targeted therapy, EORTC QLQ_C30, advanced stage.