Health-related quality of life during the last three months of life in patients with advanced cancer
(2009) In Supportive Care in Cancer 17(2). p.191-198- Abstract
- The aim of the study was to explore the development of functioning impairments and symptom occurrence during the last months of life of advanced cancer patients. Self-reported data from 116 patients who all completed the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) at 3, 2 and 1 month before death were analysed. All functioning aspects deteriorated. For physical, cognitive and social function, the most marked changes occurred between 2 and 1 month before death. The proportion reporting serious difficulties with self-care activities increased from 14% to 43%. The most seriously affected activity could not be distinguished from the EORTC QLQ-C30 scores. Levels of fatigue,... (More)
- The aim of the study was to explore the development of functioning impairments and symptom occurrence during the last months of life of advanced cancer patients. Self-reported data from 116 patients who all completed the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) at 3, 2 and 1 month before death were analysed. All functioning aspects deteriorated. For physical, cognitive and social function, the most marked changes occurred between 2 and 1 month before death. The proportion reporting serious difficulties with self-care activities increased from 14% to 43%. The most seriously affected activity could not be distinguished from the EORTC QLQ-C30 scores. Levels of fatigue, dyspnoea and appetite loss increased significantly. More than 50% of the patients had severe pain at all assessments, and only a minor number (8%) reported any improvement. The findings have implications for the planning of care and indicate that further research is required to improve assessment, treatment and follow-up procedures. Adequate pain treatment seems still to be a challenge. Anorexia, fatigue as well as dyspnoea are all symptoms that need further focus. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/1313566
- author
- Ahlner-Elmqvist, Marianne LU ; Jordhoy, Marit S. ; Bjordal, Kristin ; Kaasa, Stein and Jannert, Magnus LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2009
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Self-assessment questionnaires, Cancer, EORTC QLQ-C30, Palliative care, Health-related quality of life, End of life
- in
- Supportive Care in Cancer
- volume
- 17
- issue
- 2
- pages
- 191 - 198
- publisher
- Springer
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000261954100011
- scopus:58149084564
- pmid:18581147
- ISSN
- 0941-4355
- DOI
- 10.1007/s00520-008-0477-2
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 85830dde-ed40-4802-8325-c6198a702e7b (old id 1313566)
- alternative location
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18581147
- http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00520-008-0477-2
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 13:03:39
- date last changed
- 2022-04-13 23:02:05
@article{85830dde-ed40-4802-8325-c6198a702e7b, abstract = {{The aim of the study was to explore the development of functioning impairments and symptom occurrence during the last months of life of advanced cancer patients. Self-reported data from 116 patients who all completed the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) at 3, 2 and 1 month before death were analysed. All functioning aspects deteriorated. For physical, cognitive and social function, the most marked changes occurred between 2 and 1 month before death. The proportion reporting serious difficulties with self-care activities increased from 14% to 43%. The most seriously affected activity could not be distinguished from the EORTC QLQ-C30 scores. Levels of fatigue, dyspnoea and appetite loss increased significantly. More than 50% of the patients had severe pain at all assessments, and only a minor number (8%) reported any improvement. The findings have implications for the planning of care and indicate that further research is required to improve assessment, treatment and follow-up procedures. Adequate pain treatment seems still to be a challenge. Anorexia, fatigue as well as dyspnoea are all symptoms that need further focus.}}, author = {{Ahlner-Elmqvist, Marianne and Jordhoy, Marit S. and Bjordal, Kristin and Kaasa, Stein and Jannert, Magnus}}, issn = {{0941-4355}}, keywords = {{Self-assessment questionnaires; Cancer; EORTC QLQ-C30; Palliative care; Health-related quality of life; End of life}}, language = {{eng}}, number = {{2}}, pages = {{191--198}}, publisher = {{Springer}}, series = {{Supportive Care in Cancer}}, title = {{Health-related quality of life during the last three months of life in patients with advanced cancer}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00520-008-0477-2}}, doi = {{10.1007/s00520-008-0477-2}}, volume = {{17}}, year = {{2009}}, }