Assessing Perceived Quality-of-Life of Patients with Cancer in Day-Care Setting from Southern India

Background

Quality of Life (QoL) is a key outcome measure in cancer care demonstrating the multidimensional impact of disease burden and therapy beyond survival. While patients undergoing chemotherapy experience toxicities, their QoL is affected. However, longitudinal data describing within-patient change across chemotherapy course in day-care Indian setting are limited.

Materials and Methods

This prospective observational study was conducted by including adult cancer patients receiving chemotherapy at day-care facility in three different pre-defined time points, baseline (pre-chemotherapy), early therapy phase (post-two cycles) and late therapy phase (end-of-therapy or ≥5-cycles). QoL was measured using self-designed, pre-validated questionnaire.

Results

110 participants completed QoL assessment at all three time points. Mean perceived QoL scores declined from baseline (56.8±8.5) to early therapy (49.9±9.9) and there was a partial recovery by the end (54.7±9.2) of the therapy (p<0.001). Domain wise analysis showed persistent impairment in physical and social functioning across therapy phase, whereas emotional well-being improved progressively during the therapy course. No significant association was observed among the age groups, however females reported to have worsened QoL than males at the end of the therapy.

Conclusion

Perceived QoL during the chemotherapy follows a dynamic course with decline in the early phase and marginal recovery in the later/end phase of the therapy. QoL during later therapy phases appears to be driven by emotional adaptation rather than the resolution of physical or social functioning.