title: Symptoms and quality of life in patients with brain metastases receiving whole-brain radiation therapy.
abstract: Patients with multiple brain metastases may be treated with whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT). For these patients, symptom palliation and improvement of quality of life (QOL) and performance status is of the upmost importance. The objective of the present study was to determine the symptom experience and overall QOL in patients with brain metastases before and after WBRT.
  
  
  
  A total of 14 symptom scores and overall QOL were collected prospectively in 217 patients for up to 3 months. Wilcoxon signed rank test was applied to determine significant symptoms and QOL changes. Spearman's correlations were applied to determine the relationship between symptom scores and QOL.
  
  
  
  Appetite loss, weakness, and nausea significantly increased from baseline, while balance, headache, and anxiety significantly decreased from baseline. At baseline, all symptoms other than coordination were significantly correlated with QOL. At 1-month follow-up (FU), changes in concentration, weakness, coordination, and balance were significantly associated with QOL changes. At 2-month FU, changes in pain, insomnia, concentration, balance, and depression were significantly associated with QOL changes. At 3-month FU, only change in nausea was significantly associated with QOL changes.
  
  
  
  Following WBRT, certain symptoms may influence overall QOL to a greater extent than others, which may fluctuate with time.
authors.affiliation: Rapid Response Radiotherapy Program, Department of Radiation Oncology, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Rapid Response Radiotherapy Program, Department of Radiation Oncology, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Liying
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Rapid Response Radiotherapy Program, Department of Radiation Oncology, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Leigha
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rowbottom
authors.affiliation: Rapid Response Radiotherapy Program, Department of Radiation Oncology, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.affiliation: Rapid Response Radiotherapy Program, Department of Radiation Oncology, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Leonard
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.affiliation: Rapid Response Radiotherapy Program, Department of Radiation Oncology, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.affiliation: Rapid Response Radiotherapy Program, Department of Radiation Oncology, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: May
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.affiliation: Rapid Response Radiotherapy Program, Department of Radiation Oncology, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.affiliation: Rapid Response Radiotherapy Program, Department of Radiation Oncology, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Cyril
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Danjoux
authors.affiliation: Rapid Response Radiotherapy Program, Department of Radiation Oncology, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. edward.chow@sunnybrook.ca.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chow
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Brain metastases; Quality of life; Symptoms; Whole-brain radiotherapy