title: Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Due to its clinical course and often-late detection, many patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer (mPC) experience poor quality of life (QoL). This pilot project assessed real-world QoL in patients with mPC at different stages of treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the following groups of patients with mPC: before initiation of first-line (1L) chemotherapy (no treatment); with partial response (PR) or stable disease (SD) upon receipt of ≥3 cycles of 1L nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine (nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine PR or SD); and with disease progression during ≥1L chemotherapy and not currently receiving nab-paclitaxel (≥1L PD). Eligible participants completed three QoL instruments, EORTC QLQ-C30, the pancreatic cancer module of EORTC QLQ-PAN26, and the EQ-5D, during their clinical visits at 14 clinics across the USA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Demographic characteristics were similar among groups (no treatment, n = 29; nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine PR or SD, n = 26; ≥1L PD, n = 17). Patients in the nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine PR or SD group had lower mean pain scores by EORTC-QLQ-C30 (27.6 vs 47.1; P = 0.02) and lower mean pancreatic pain scores by EORTC-QLQ-PAN26 (27.9 vs 45.4; P = 0.02) compared with the no treatment group. The groups did not differ significantly in QoL as measured by the EQ-5D.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients who experienced PR or SD with 1L nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine had improved general and pancreatic pain scores and no clinically meaningful deterioration in QoL compared with patients who had not yet initiated chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Virginia Mason Medical Center, 1100 Ninth Ave, Seattle, Washington, 38101, USA. Vincent.Picozzi@virginiamason.org.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Picozzi
authors.affiliation: Market Access Solutions, Raritan, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Siva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Narayanan
authors.affiliation: Celgene Corporation, Summit, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Henry Hu
authors.affiliation: North Shore Hematology Oncology Associates Cancer Center, Setauket, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vacirca
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Chemotherapy; Gemcitabine; Metastatic pancreatic cancer; Quality of life; nab-paclitaxel