Comparison of the quality of life between patients with non-small-cell lung cancer and healthy controls.
OBJECTIVE
We explored covariates of the quality of life (QOL) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and made a comparison with healthy controls.


METHODS
We assessed the QOL of 220 consecutive NSCLC patients at a university hospital. The QOL data were measured by the brief version of the World Health Organization's Quality of Life and by utility using the standard gamble method. We selected demographically matched healthy controls from the 2001 National Health Interview Survey for comparison. Multiple linear regression models were constructed to explore significant factors of QOL after controlling for covariates.


RESULTS
Patients with more advanced stages of NSCLC had poorer scores than did the healthy controls in the physical and psychological domains. Patients with disease duration of longer than 1 year tended to report higher physical and environment QOL than did those with NSCLC diagnosed for less than 1 year. Insight into one's own illness was associated with a higher utility, better social support, and improved financial resources.


CONCLUSIONS
QOL was significantly associated with staging and duration of NSCLC. Disease insight appears to be a positive factor for operable NSCLC patients of the Taiwanese culture, which implies that clinicians should respect patient autonomy in diagnosis disclosure.
Lee
Lukas Jyuhn-Hsiarn
LJ
Division of Environmental Health and Occupational Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan. lukaslee@nhri.org.tw
Chung
Chih-Wen
CW
Chang
Yu-Yin
YY
Lee
Yung-Chie
YC
Yang
Chih-Hsin
CH
Liou
Saou-Hsing
SH
Liu
Pang-Hsiang
PH
Wang
Jung-Der
JD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012649:Self Concept; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan