title: Health-related quality of life in patients with anaplastic astrocytoma during treatment with temozolomide.
abstract: One of the objectives of this phase II study was to determine whether temozolomide (TMZ) improved the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of patients with recurrent anaplastic astrocytoma (AA). HRQL was assessed at baseline (pretreatment) and every 4 weeks at each treatment cycle using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) (version 2.0) and the Brain Cancer Module (BCM20). Changes from baseline in the scores of seven preselected HRQL domains (role and social functioning, global QL, visual disorder, motor dysfunction, communication deficit and drowsiness) were determined at 6 months as well as prior to, and at the time of, disease progression. The significance of the changes was assessed by calculating statistical significance, effect sizes and the proportions of patients with improvement in their HRQL scores (changes of >/=10 points). After 6 months of treatment, patients who were free of progression of disease reported either an improvement or maintenance of all the preselected HRQL domains scores. Patients with disease progression by 6 months usually experienced improvement in HRQL before progression, but there was a sharp decline in most of the preselected domains at progression. We conclude that treatment of recurrent AA with temozolomide is associated with significant HRQL benefits.
authors.affiliation: QOL Consulting, 4939 Edenvale Court, West, BC, V7W 3H7, Vancouver, Canada. david_osoba@telus.net
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Osoba
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brada
authors.forename: W K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Yung
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Prados
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011788:Quality of Life; D016019:Survival Analysis; D000077204:Temozolomide; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D003606:Dacarbazine; D000077204:Temozolomide