title: Factors influencing the quality of life of patients with advanced cancer.
abstract: The present study aimed to determine the predictors of quality of life (QOL) of patients with advanced cancer. A cross-sectional study involving 494 patients with advanced cancer was conducted using the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale-Short Form, the Karnofsky Performance Status Scale, the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (Korean version), and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core 30. Regression analyses showed that physical and psychological symptoms significantly predicted the patients' QOL and explained 28.8% of the variance in QOL. Moreover, lack of energy was the patients' most prevalent symptom. The results of the present study will serve as fundamental data upon which the development of an intervention will be based so as to enhance the patients' QOL. Accordingly, an effective management of symptoms and performance maintenance should be considered in the future as key factors in providing support and establishing palliative care systems for patients with advanced cancer.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nursing Science, Suwon University, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sun-A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Medicine, Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Korea National University of Transportation, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: yjlee@ut.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Youngjin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D010166:Palliative Care; D011788:Quality of Life
keywords: Disability evaluation; Karnofsky performance status; Neoplasms; Quality of life; Symptom assessment