title: The impact of acute myeloid leukemia and its treatment on quality of life and functional status in older adults.
abstract: Although intensive chemotherapy (IC) may modestly improve survival compared to supportive care in older people with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), treatment may worsen quality of life (QOL) and functional status. We assessed QOL and functional status at baseline, 1 month, 4 months, and 6 months in 65 consecutive, English-speaking, patients age 60 or older with newly diagnosed AML. At baseline, functional status was high but QOL was negatively affected in global health and most QOL domains. Over time, QOL remained stable or improved in most patients and was generally similar between IC and non-IC groups. Basic activities of daily living (ADL) scores did not change over time, whereas instrumental ADL scores declined slightly regardless of treatment. Receiving IC does not appear to lead to worse QOL or functional status than more palliative approaches. This information may aid treatment discussions in older patients with AML.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada. shabbir.alibhai@uhn.on.ca
authors.forename: Shabbir M H
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Alibhai
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leach
authors.forename: Husnain
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kermalli
authors.forename: Vikas
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Matthew E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Kowgier
authors.forename: George A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Tomlinson
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brandwein
authors.forename: Rena
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Buckstein
authors.forename: Mark D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Minden
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000208:Acute Disease; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents