title: Quality of life of sarcoma patients from diagnosis to treatments: predictors and longitudinal trajectories.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Quality of life (QoL) has been increasingly examined in sarcoma patients, but longitudinal research on its variation across different phases of the disease is lacking. The present study aims to analyse change or stability in sarcoma patients' QoL, and to identify the distinct trajectories of change from diagnostic to treatment phase. Demographic and clinical predictors of QoL during treatments are also explored.
  
  
  METHODS
  QoL of 36 Portuguese sarcoma patients was assessed at time of diagnosis (baseline) and again at 3-6 months after the beginning of treatment (T1), using the EORTC QLQ C-30 (Portuguese version).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At diagnostic and treatment phases, patients reported a diminished QoL in the majority of QLQ C-30 domains. From baseline to T1, global health/QoL improved significantly, and physical functioning declined. Over time, 38.9% of patients maintained a poor QoL, 27.8% remained in the "High QoL" cluster, and 22.2% changed towards a worse QoL. Marital status, age, professional status, and radiotherapy predicted QoL scores during treatments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that sarcoma patients may experience a diminished QoL, both at diagnosis and during treatments, and reveal a tendency for stability in QoL scores rather than for change. Initial functioning and some demographic and clinical variables have a predictive role for QoL in the treatment phase. Assessment of QoL and multidisciplinary interventions must be a part of routine cancer care, and should be implemented in an initial phase and during treatments.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cognitive Psychology, Vocational and Social Development, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. tiago_paredes@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Tiago
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Paredes
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: Mário R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Simões
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Canavarro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011174:Portugal; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires