title: Pretreatment quality of life of inoperable non-small cell lung cancer patients referred for primary radiotherapy.
abstract: This study examined the association between the most important prognostic factors in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) and self-reported pretreatment quality of life (QoL) and the impact of the presence, severity and changes in respiratory symptoms on general symptoms and QoL. The study included 262 patients. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-LC13 were used to assess symptoms and QoL before radiotherapy. Patients with inoperable NSCLC showed major differences in self-reported QoL as a function of clinical prognostic factors. A significant association was found between World Health Organization (WHO) performance status and QoL but not other prognostic factors. Dyspnoea was the only respiratory symptom associated significantly with general symptoms, physical and psychosocial functioning and QoL. Furthermore, changes in dyspnoea were associated significantly with changes in physical and role functioning, global QoL and fatigue as assessed 6 weeks after radiotherapy. These results indicate that palliation of dyspnoea may have a significant beneficial effect on QoL and that palliation of other respiratory symptoms is not necessarily associated with improvement of general symptoms, physical and psychological functioning or global QoL.
authors.affiliation: Radiotherapeutisch Instituut Limburg, Heerlen, The Netherlands. ja.langendijk@azvu.nl
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Langendijk
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Aaronson
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: ten Velde
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: de Jong
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Wouters
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000503:physiopathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index