Patterns of Quality of Life and Related Factors in Patients With Advanced Lung Cancer

Abstract

Background Limited information has reported about types of changes in quality of life (QOL) in advanced lung cancer patients (pts). The aims of this study were to (1) explore the types of QOL trajectories, and (2) identify factors related to each QOL pattern in advanced lung cancer pts during the first 6 months of being diagnosed as lung cancer. Methods A prospective longitudinal study was conducted in a medical center in Taiwan. Patients were assessed 4 times: pre-treatment (tx) and 1, 3, 6 months from first tx (T1-4, respectively). QOL pattern was measured by the overall QOL item from the EORTC QLQ-C30. Physical and psychological distress and self-efficacy were analyzed as potential factors for each QOL pattern. The Latent Class Growth Analysis (LCGA) was applied to analyze the patterns of QOL changes. Finding A total of 170 pts were recruited and three QOL patterns were identified. The first type of QOL (41.8% of pts) was “changing but moderate level of QOL“. The second type of QOL (19.6% of pts) was “moderate to lower levels of QOLâ€. The third type of QOL (39.6% of pts) was “steadily moderate level of QOLâ€. Generally, physical function, pain, poor appetite, uncertainty, and self efficacy (the most robust one) were related to patients’ QOL. Discussion The timely and tailoring interventions, including symptom and psychological supports, should be developed to enhance cancer patients’ QOL.