Health-related quality-of-life assessment in patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.
OBJECTIVE
To measure and evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), a visible cutaneous malignancy that may have a profound effect on patients' lives.


METHODS
Monocenter, cross-sectional study.


METHODS
The Skin Oncology Program, Department of Dermatology, and the Photopheresis Unit of Boston Medical Center.


METHODS
A total of 22 adult patients with confirmed CTCL.


METHODS
(1) Evaluation of general oncologic and skin disease-specific HRQOL using, respectively, the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) and Skindex-29 profiles; (2) assessment of HRQOL association with disease stage (early stage, IA-IIA; late stage, IIB-IVB).


RESULTS
Patients with more advanced CTCL stages reported more effects on general health (FACT-G), particularly in the physical, emotional, and functional domains (P < .05). Patients with early-stage CTCL reported better skin-specific HRQOL overall (Skindex-29; P = .002) and for each specific domain than did patients with late-stage disease. The Skindex-29 scales had high internal consistency, and the confirmatory factor structure was similar to that of previous studies.


CONCLUSIONS
The HRQOL of patients with CTCL can be evaluated using the Skindex-29 and FACT-G instruments. Patients with more advanced stages of CTCL had lower HRQOL scores.
Demierre
Marie-France
MF
Department of Dermatology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA. mariefrance.demierre@bmc.org
Tien
Amy
A
Miller
Donald
D
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016410:Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy