Health-related Quality Of Life Of Cancer Patients Research Articles

Effects of high-intensity training on the quality of life of cancer patients and survivors: a systematic review with meta-analysis

Cancer and associated medical treatments affect patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) by decreasing functional dimensions of physical, social, cognitive, and emotional well-being, while increasing short and late-term symptoms. Exercise, however, is demonstrated to be a useful therapy to improve cancer patients' and survivors’ HRQoL, yet the effectiveness of high-intensity training (HIT) exercise is uncertain. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to analyse the effects of HIT on HRQoL dimensions in cancer patients and survivors as well as evaluate the optimal prescription of HIT. The search followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines (PRISMA) and examined Web of Science and PubMed (Medline) databases. Data were analysed utilizing Review Manager Software. Twenty-two articles were included in the systematic review and 17 in the meta-analysis. Results showed HIT improved global quality of life, physical functioning, role functioning, social functioning, cognitive functioning, fatigue, pain, dyspnea, and insomnia, compared to an inactive control group, yet no differences were found between HIT and low to moderate-intensity exercise interventions. Particular improvements in HRQoL were observed during cancer treatment and with a training duration of more than eight weeks, a frequency of 2 days/week, and a volume of at least 120 min/week, including 15 min or more of HIT. Our findings whilst encouraging, highlight the infancy of the extant evidence base for the role of HIT in the HRQoL of cancer patients and survivors.

Temperament and character traits associated with health-related quality of life in cancer patients.

There is an increase in the attention to factors influencing the quality of life of cancer patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate temperament and character traits related to health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with cancer. Two hundred and three inpatients from three Italian oncology departments filled in the Temperament Character Inventory (TCI-140) based on Cloninger's personality model, the SF-36 questionnaire assessing HRQoL, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Eighty percent of patients were undergoing chemotherapy. Lower levels of harm avoidance and higher levels of self-directedness were significantly correlated with a better HRQoL. Regression analysis controlling for psychopathology (anxiety and depression symptoms) showed that the influence of temperament and character traits on quality of life seemed to add little to the influence of psychopathology. The present study demonstrates the existence of some relations between HRQoL and temperament and character traits assessed using the TCI-140 questionnaire. However, among the psychological factors, psychopathology seems to retain more influence on HRQoL of cancer patients.

The Efficacy of Couple-Based Interventions on Health-Related Quality of Life in Cancer Patients and Their Spouses: A Meta-analysis of 12 Randomized Controlled Trials.

Couple-based interventions on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of cancer patients and their spouses have received increasing attention in recent years, but the findings of previous studies are inconsistent. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of couple-based interventions on the HRQoL of cancer patients and their spouses using a meta-analysis approach. English- and Chinese-language publications were collected from PubMed, EBSCO, EMBASE, CMB, and CNKI. The outcome measures included physical health, depression, anxiety, hopelessness, and marital satisfaction (MS). Pooled, weighted mean differences and 95% confidence intervals were estimated using fixed- and random-effects models. Publication bias and sensitivity analyses were performed. Twelve randomized controlled trials were included in this study. Compared with the control groups, the weighted mean differences of depression, anxiety, and MS were significantly improved in the intervention groups. However, improvements in the measures of physical health and hopelessness were nonsignificant. Psychoeducational interventions yielded a larger effect size than did skill training and blending interventions. Publication bias was not significant, and a sensitivity analysis indicated that the results were robust. Couple-based interventions can improve anxiety, depression, and MS among cancer patients and their spouses, and psychoeducational interventions may be an effective approach. Given the small number of studies utilized in this analysis, the results should be considered preliminary and interpreted with caution. Couple-based interventions may be an adjunctive method for cancer patients and their spouses to improve HRQoL. Further study concerning couple-based skill training and blending intervention are needed to better understand intervention effects.

Short-term effectiveness of inpatient cancer rehabilitation: A longitudinal controlled cohort study.

Background: Inpatient rehabilitation for cancer patients has been demonstrated to improve patients' health related quality of life (HRQoL) effectively. The purpose of this study was to compare changes in general health and HRQoL of cancer patients who were referred to inpatient rehabilitation (IR) with those in two control groups who underwent outpatient management either with advice for inpatient rehabilitation (A+) or without (A-).Methods: In this naturalistic, longitudinal, controlled cohort study, changes in general health and HRQoL were assessed at either discharge of acute hospital or start of rehabilitation (baseline) and at the follow-up 3 weeks later or end of rehabilitation. Outcome variables included general health and HRQoL assessed by the Short Form 36 (SF-36) and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT), and fatigue (FACT-F), depression and anxiety by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Changes on the scores were compared with bivariate and multivariate analyses using standardized mean differences (SMD).Results: IR patients (n=133) were on average older, reported lower HRQoL and health, and suffered more frequently from carcinoma than patients of the A+ (n=30) and the A- (n=82) groups. In the IR patients, pain, physical functioning, mental health, vitality, and fatigue improved significantly compared to the A+ controls. Compared to the A- group, the bivariate effects were lower but still statistically significant on many scales.Conclusions: IR showed moderate, statistically significant superior effects over outpatient management of cancer patients after acute treatment. Findings indicate that inpatient cancer rehabilitation can be recommended as an effective management after acute treatment. As today, referrals to inpatient rehabilitation for cancer patients are still not based on structured standardized procedures, the implementation of such screening is needed to address patients' needs and to render the potential for rehabilitation more reliable.

Radioprotectors and Radiomitigators for Improving Radiation Therapy: The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Gateway for Accelerating Clinical Translation.

Although radiation therapy is an important cancer treatment modality, patients may experience adverse effects. The use of a radiation-effect modulator may help improve the outcome and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients undergoing radiation therapy either by enhancing tumor cell killing or by protecting normal tissues. Historically, the successful translation of radiation-effect modulators to the clinic has been hindered due to the lack of focused collaboration between academia, pharmaceutical companies and the clinic, along with limited availability of support for such ventures. The U.S. Government has been developing medical countermeasures against accidental and intentional radiation exposures to mitigate the risk and/or severity of acute radiation syndrome (ARS) and the delayed effects of acute radiation exposures (DEARE), and there is now a drug development pipeline established. Some of these medical countermeasures could potentially be repurposed for improving the outcome of radiation therapy and HRQOL of cancer patients. With the objective of developing radiation-effect modulators to improve radiotherapy, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Development Center at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), supported by the Radiation Research Program (RRP), provided funding to companies from 2011 to 2014 through the SBIR contracts mechanism. Although radiation-effect modulators collectively refer to radioprotectors, radiomitigators and radiosensitizers, the focus of this article is on radioprotection and mitigation of radiation injury. This specific SBIR contract opportunity strengthened existing partnerships and facilitated new collaborations between academia and industry. In this commentary, we assess the impact of this funding opportunity, outline the review process, highlight the organ/site-specific disease needs in the clinic for the development of radiation-effect modulators, provide a general understanding of a framework for gathering preclinical and clinical evidence to obtain regulatory approval and provide a basis for broader venture capital needs and support from pharmaceutical companies to fully capitalize on the advances made thus far in this field.

The impact of an inpatient hospital admission on patients’ physical functioning and quality of life in the oncology setting

Objective : Cancer can affect an individual’s level of physical function and health related quality of life (HRQoL). Those requiring hospital admission may be at risk of further decline during hospitalisation. The aim of this study was to investigate physical functioning and HRQoL of cancer patients on admission and over the course of their hospital admission. Methods : A prospective observational study was undertaken on the inpatient wards of a specialist oncology hospital. Assessment measures were taken bi-weekly until discharge from hospital or if they became too unwell to continue. Functional outcome measures included timed-up and go test (TUG), 30 second sit to stand test (30SST), 30 second arm curl test and isometric muscle strength (30ACT). HRQoL was assessed via the EORTC-C30 and SF-8 and distress was measured using the Distress Thermometer. Results : Fifty-five patients (28 males), mean age 64 years ± 10.8, with an average length of stay of 19 days participated in the study. Primary reasons for hospital admission included; symptom management (36%) or delivery of cancer treatment (35%). On hospital admission, the majority of patients scored worse than normative levels on the EORTC-C30 and SF-8. Similarly, 65%, 69% and 35% recorded below age norms for TUG, 30SST and 30ACT. Most measures showed a trend towards worsening during hospitalisation with up to 59% of patients experiencing ± 10% worsening over time. However, only role and social functioning ( p < .05), as well as financial difficulty showed statistically significant worsening ( p < .05) during hospitalisation. Conclusions : Participants demonstrated substantially reduced HRQoL and physical functioning at time of hospital admission which tended to worsen during hospitalisation. Despite this low level of function, very few received rehabilitation follow-up. Screening programs using HRQoL and functional assessment measures could be useful in identifying patients who are deconditioned or at risk of deconditioning and require specialised therapy to prevent declines in function and hospital re-admissions.

Temperament and Character Traits Associated with Health-Related Quality of Life in Cancer Patients

There is an increase in the attention to factors influencing the quality of life of cancer patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate temperament and character traits related to health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with cancer. Two hundred and three inpatients from three Italian oncology departments filled in the Temperament Character Inventory (TCI-140) based on Cloninger's personality model, the SF-36 questionnaire assessing HRQoL, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Eighty percent of patients were undergoing chemotherapy. Lower levels of harm avoidance and higher levels of self-directedness were significantly correlated with a better HRQoL. Regression analysis controlling for psychopathology (anxiety and depression symptoms) showed that the influence of temperament and character traits on quality of life seemed to add little to the influence of psychopathology. The present study demonstrates the existence of some relations between HRQoL and temperament and character traits assessed using the TCI-140 questionnaire. However, among the psychological factors, psychopathology seems to retain more influence on HRQoL of cancer patients.

Comparing health-related quality of life (HRQL) of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy with family members in a tertiary hospital

e20535 Background: In Greece there is limited information concerning the HRQL of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to estimate and compare the HRQL of cancer patients and their relatives during the period of chemotherapy and to investigate potential differences in HRQL. Methods: 122 family members (45 men and 77 women) of mean age 48.3 ±14.5 and 122 cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy (49 men and 73 women) of mean age 56.6 ±15.4 1SD completed the SF-36 health survey by personal interview. The SF-36 health survey was used to evaluate and compare HRQL which contains eight scales measuring physical functioning (PF), role physical (RP), bodily pain (BP), general health perception (GH), vitality (VT), social functioning (SF), role emotional (RE), and mental health (MH), with higher scores (0–100 range) reflecting better-perceived health. Two component summary scores capture the overall physical and mental health (Physical Component Summary or PCS and Mental Component Summary or MCS). Data analysis was performed with SPSS version 13.0 while statistical analysis was performed with Wilcoxon signed ranks test. Results: The table below summarizes the results of our study. Conclusions: Although the physical health was significantly higher in the family members as it was expected for a healthy population, the mental health and especially MCS was significantly lower from the cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. It seems that medical condition of the patients affects severely the mental HRQL of family members. Supportive psychological programs for both the patients and the family members seem mandatory. [Table: see text] No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Corrleation of health-related quality of life (HRQL) of cancer patients and the mental component parameters of their family members

e20619 Background: It is widely experienced that health-related quality of life (HRQL) is greatly influenced in the family members of cancer patients. The aim of this study was to find the correlation of the HRQL parameters in cancer patients with the main mental component parameters of patients’ relatives. Methods: 122 cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy in our department (49 men and 73 women) of mean age 56.6 ±15.4 1SD and their 122 relatives that accompanied them (45 men and 77 women) of mean age 48.3 ±14.5 completed the validated SF-36 health survey by personal interview. The SF-36 health survey summarizes the functional health status and general health into eight scales with higher scores (0–100 range) reflecting better-perceived health. In this study, physical functioning (PF), role physical (RP), bodily pain (BP), general health perception (GH), vitality (VT), social functioning (SF), role emotional (RE), and mental health (MH) of the patients were correlated with the SF, RE, MH of their family members using the Spearman's test. Data analysis was performed with SPSS version 13.0 and correlations were considered statistically significant when p&lt;0.05. Results: Table 1 summarizes the results of our study. Social Functioning and Mental Health of family members are highly correlated with the HRQL parameters of cancer patients. The RE does not seem to be affected. Conclusions: HRQL of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy is highly correlated with the SF and the MH of their relatives. This observation highlights the need to develop more oriented supportive programs for both the patients and their family memebers. Abbreviations: PF = Physical Functioning, RP = Role Physical, BP = Bodily Pain, GH = General Health, VT = Vitality, SF = Social Functioning, RE = Role Emotional, MH = Mental Health; NS=Not Significant. * = 0.05. ** = 0.01. [Table: see text] No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Progress in Quality-of-Care Research and Hope for Supportive Cancer Care

Progress in Quality-of-Care Research and Hope for Supportive Cancer Care

Qualidade de vida dos doentes oncológicos. Avaliada pelo próprio e pelo cuidador.

Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) is an essential factor for cancer patients, particularly in the evaluation of the care's. Most of the information that health care providers have is given by the patient. Family can also provide information about them, appealed or not and the quality of such information isn't studied for Portuguese population. The aim of this study was to examine whether proxies can provide useful information on HRQoL of cancer patients. We studied a sample of 176 ambulatory cancer patients and those 176 respective proxies (family) from Medical Oncology Department. A sociodemographic characterization was made for the simple and a clinical characterization was made only for cancer patients. To measure HRQoL were used the EORTC QLQ-C30. Beyond descriptive techniques, the statistical analysis was done using Interclass Correlation (ICC) and Pearson Correlation (r). We found moderate to good agreement (ICC ranged from 0.55 to 0.82, as well as the Pearson correlation) between responses from patients and those from their proxies for the QLQ-C30 scales. Proxies' group considered patients as having higher degree of fatigue, pain and diarrhea and a more impaired physical and emotional functioning, worse global QoL and total score. Statistically significant differences between patients' and proxies' evaluations were found for these subscales. None of the patients or proxies characteristics showed any relationship with the agreement between patient and proxy QoL evaluations'. The results suggest that proxies only provide valid and useful information about cancer patients QoL for QLQ-C30 domains where the agreement between QoL's responses were high and the means diferrence not significant. For using a HRQoL instrument taking into account as source the proxy, is necessary to recognize the agreement of the HRQoL's domains of the instrument. In this case, for several domains of QLQ-C30 the means difference was statistically significant, so, the instrument should be used with caution for physical and emotional functioning, global QoL fatigue, pain, diarrhoea and total QoL. Proxies are a frequent and a mandatory source of information about patient's status, particularly in palliative care. On a clinical point of view, the knowledge of these differences is very important for that such information be ponderous and contextualized in order to improve better care to the patients.

Quality of life in cancer patients in South Asia: psychometric properties of the Sinhala version of the EORTC QLQ-C30 in cancer patients with heterogeneous diagnoses

The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) was evaluated for its psychometric properties in a sample of cancer patients from the culturally distinct South Asian subcontinent, which accounts for a significant proportion of the global cancer burden. Psychometric testing assessed the hypothesised scale structure, internal consistency, content and construct validity, and acceptability of the Sinhala version of the QLQ-C30 independently in two heterogeneous groups of cancer patients at pretreatment (N = 489) and during treatment (N = 343). Qualitative feedback from an expert panel assessing content validity recommended measuring family support during illness as an additional, culturally-relevant dimension of health-related quality of life (HRQL). Compliance was high (100%), with little missing data (0.11%). Multitrait scaling results supported the scale structure of the QLQ-C30, with the exception of the cognitive functioning scale, which was also the only scale that did not meet the 0.70 internal consistency criteria in either sample. Interscale correlations were of a moderate size, with conceptually related scales showing higher correlations. All scales were able to discriminate clearly between pre- and current treatment patients (P < 0.01), although results were less consistent when comparing groups formed on the basis of age and disease stage. Overall psychometric results confirmed the QLQ-C30 as a reliable and valid questionnaire for assessing HRQL of cancer patients in Sri Lanka.

Health Outcomes Assessment in Cancer

Measuring the outcomes of cancer care has become increasingly important both in clinical practice and in health policy. Responsiveness to patient-centered needs, preferences, and outcomes is one of the hallmarks of quality healthcare. Health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) measures can be considered within a framework based upon: (i) whether the measure is a generic instrument applicable across a wide range of health conditions, or whether it is specific to cancer or a specific cancer site; (ii) whether it measures a single domain of health or multiple domains; and (iii) whether or not the measure is preference based. Judicious selection of a set of instruments from within different areas of this framework can provide a detailed description of relevant aspects of a patient’s health for a wide variety of research and clinical needs. Current health outcomes research is focused not only on the development of improved measures of health, but also on how to expand the use of these measures from research settings into clinical practice and health policy in ways to improve the process and outcomes of cancer care. Shared decision-making tools incorporating HR-QOL data can assist patients in clarifying decision alternatives for difficult cancer treatment decisions. Observational studies of HR-QOL of cancer patients can help patients better understand potential outcomes of their choices. HR-QOL measures are being used in quality of care initiatives. Cancer care is composed of a spectrum of services, ranging from prevention and early detection, through to diagnosis and treatment, as well as end-of-life care. As the importance of the patient’s perspective has become more clearly recognized, health outcomes measures have become more widely used and can contribute to improved care across the spectrum of cancer services. While further research needs to focus on developing better measures of health, it is equally imperative that future research focus on methods to incorporate health outcomes measurement into practice in ways to improve clinical practice, health policy, and ultimately to improve the outcomes of care of patients with cancer.

Multiple chronic health problems are negatively associated with health related quality of life (HRQoL) irrespective of age.

To examine HRQoL measured by EORTC QLQ-C30 with respect to an increasing number of self-reported chronic health problems in the general Swedish population and to study the association between HRQoL, chronic health problems and age, gender, income, marital status and employment status. A postal survey among a large random sample of 4000 adults aged 18-79 years. The study material contained EORTC QLQ-C30 core questionnaire supplemented by a sociodemographic questionnaire including questions about 13 chronic health problems of which four categories, 'No', 'Few', 'Some' or 'A lot of chronic health problems were constructed. Multiple chronic health problems were significantly associated with reduced HRQoL. The increased number of chronic health problems was also associated with age. When the number of chronic health problems was accounted for, the influence of age diminished. Low income and unemployment were associated with greater decline in HRQoL with respect to increasing number of problems among the respondents in working age. The impact of increased number of chronic health problems had varying consequences in different age groups. Moreover, sociodemographic and economic factors showed to interact differently with chronic health problems and HRQoL in various age groups. It appears from our results that an assessment and a careful consideration of these factors will be valuable in order to facilitate the interpretation of the effects of cancer and treatment on long-term HRQoL of cancer patients.