title: Chemotherapy and quality of life in NSCLC PS 2 patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nearly 40% of patients with advanced NSCLC are in performance status (PS) 2. These patients have a shorter life expectancy than PS 0/1 patients and they are underrepresented in clinical trials. Data on how platinum-based combination chemotherapy affects Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) of patients with PS 2 are scarce and the treatment of this important group of patients is controversial.
  
  
  METHODS
  A national multicenter phase III study on platinum based chemotherapy to 432 advanced NSCLC patients included 123 patients with PS 2. To explore the treatment impact on HRQOL, the development of HRQOL during the first nine weeks were compared between PS 2 and PS 0/1 patients. We used the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-LC13 questionnaires. Standardized area under the curve for all HRQOL items, and HRQOL responses classified as better, stable or worse, were compared between the groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Whereas the demographic data at baseline were well balanced between the groups, the PS 2 patients had significantly worse function and more severe symptoms than the PS 0/1 patients. In response to combination chemotherapy, the PS 2 patients had a more profound improvement of global QOL, cognitive function, fatigue, dyspnea, sleeping problems and appetite loss in comparison to the PS 0/1 group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PS 2 NSCLC patients seem to achieve valuable HRQOL benefits from platinum-based combination therapy. Prospective clinical studies with predefined HRQOL outcomes in PS 2 patients are needed to confirm these findings.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tromsø and Dept. of Oncology, University Hospital of Northern Norway, Tromsø, Norway. nina.helbekkmo@fagmed.uit.no
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Helbekkmo
authors.forename: Hans H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Strøm
authors.forename: Stein H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Sundstrøm
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Aasebø
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Von Plessen
authors.forename: Roy M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Bremnes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019540:Area Under Curve; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D003841:Deoxycytidine; D014747:Vinblastine; D016190:Carboplatin; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D000093542:Gemcitabine