Changes in and determinants of quality of life in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer undergoing initial chemotherapy

Yu Lee Dai, Cheng Ta Yang, Kang Hua Chen, Siew Tzuh Tang*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal Article peer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Few studies have evaluated completely the changes in quality of life (QOL) that occur from pretreatment through the first four consecutive cycles of chemotherapy or determined its determinants in patients with advanced nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the changes to and determinants of QOL in patients with advanced NSCLC under initial chemotherapy from pretreatment through Cycle 4 of chemotherapy. Methods: The QOL of 139 patients with advanced NSCLC was assessed from prechemotherapy through Cycle 4 of chemotherapy. Changes to and determinants of QOL were evaluated using multivariate linear regression, which used generalized estimation equation models. Results: No significant changes were observed in the global QOL or the physical, role, emotional, or cognitive functional domains of QOL during the course of chemotherapy. However, the social functional domain of QOL improved significantly at Cycle 3 in comparison with the prechemotherapy values. Better global QOL was determined as better performance status, less frequent physical symptoms, and less severe anxiety and depressive symptoms. Important determinants of better QOL in the five functional domains included younger age, better performance status, less frequent physical symptoms, less severe anxiety and depressive symptoms, and weaker perceived social support. Furthermore, patients who achieved a partial response after chemotherapy enjoyed stronger improvements in global QOL and the QOL emotional functional domain than those who did not. Conclusions: To help patients with advanced NSCLC optimize their QOL, healthcare professionals should enhance their ability to identify patients who are at elevated risk of poor QOL throughout the course of chemotherapy and to appropriately detect and manage the related physical symptoms and side effects, strengthen patients- social support, and lessen the anxiety and depressive symptoms of patients.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)203-215
Number of pages13
JournalJournal of Nursing Research
Volume25
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 2017

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Taiwan Nurses Association.

Keywords

  • Advanced non-small-cell lung cancer
  • Chemotherapy
  • Quality of life

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