Health-related quality of life (HRQL) in all-patients treated with chemotherapy only: a report from the late effects surveillance system in Germany.
BACKGROUND
The study examines the HRQL in children suffering from ALL over time.


METHODS
96 patients (average age 7.1 years) were included, treated with chemotherapy in 15 German study centres between 1997 and 2003.


METHODS
The HRQL was assessed based on both the parent report (POQOLS) and the patient self-report (KINDL) at 3 intervals: up to 2 weeks after diagnosis (T1), upon completion of the re-induction therapy (T2) and at the end of the maintenance therapy (T3). To analyse the changes of HRQL over time, the differences between the individual scores (T2-T1 and T3-T1) were calculated and statistically tested. The HRQL results from KINDL were also compared to a sample from the German general population.


RESULTS
POQOLS (scale 0 (optimum) to 6): A decrease of HRQL was found in the domain "activity" at T1 (mean score=3.1) and T2 (mean score=2.6). Over time, HRQL improved significantly with a mean score-difference T3-T1=-0.7 (p=0.001). KINDL (scale 0 to 100 (optimum)): The individual HRQL-scores improved over time with the major increases occurring in the domains "physical" with a mean score-difference T2-T1=21.7 (p<0.0001) and a mean score-difference T3-T1=20.6 (p=0.0002) and "mental" with a mean score-difference T2-T1=7.1 (p=0.02) and T3-T1=8.1 (p=0.02). However, the mean overall HRQL-score was significantly lower compared to the general population.


CONCLUSIONS
Children with ALL show lower HRQL compared to the general population. Over time, HRQL improved significantly from both the patient and the parent perspective.
Hospital for Children and Adolescents of the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Paediatric Oncology/Immunology, Erlangen, Germany. joanna.peeters@uk-erlangen.de
J
J
Peeters
J
J
Meitert
M
M
Paulides
A
A
Wiener
J D
JD
Beck
G
G
Calaminus
T
T
Langer
D000293:Adolescent; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012074:Remission Induction; D019233:Retreatment / Q000523:psychology; D012803:Sick Role