Expert review of pharmacoeconomics & outcomes research
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Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res · Oct 2011
Examining the relationships among health-related quality-of-life indicators in cancer patients participating in clinical trials: a pooled study of baseline EORTC QLQ-C30 data.
Cancer patients experience multiple and concurrent health-related problems and symptoms due to their illness and therapies. The first objective of this analysis was to identify how health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) indicators cluster among cancer patients and how possible clusters change across patients with different sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. The second objective of this study was to identify which HRQoL indicators are linked to patients' perception of overall quality of life. ⋯ Our findings suggest that HRQoL indicators are interrelated. Understanding these relationships may aid clinicians in managing the symptom burden experienced by patients, as well as policy-makers, in defining psychosocial support plans.
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Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res · Oct 2011
ReviewA literature review of symptom clusters in patients with breast cancer.
The aim of this article is to present a review reporting empirically determined symptom clusters in breast cancer patients. We conducted a literature search on symptom clusters in breast cancer patients using PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL. Studies examining the presence of predetermined clusters were excluded. ⋯ Although there were common symptoms assessed across the five studies, no common symptom clusters could be derived from these reports. This lack of commonality may result from the disparities in subpopulations of patients, assessment tools, and analytical and methodological approaches. As symptom cluster research continues to develop towards a clearer consensus on guidelines, the findings of symptom clusters may provide clinically valuable information regarding diagnosis, prognostication, prioritizing and managing symptoms in breast cancer patients.
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Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res · Oct 2011
Comparative StudyComparison of the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL and the FACIT-Pal for assessment of quality of life in patients with advanced cancer.
Shorter quality-of-life (QoL) assessments are beneficial for palliative patients as they reduce burden associated with completing personal, and at times stressful, questionnaires. The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 15 Palliative (QLQ-C15-PAL) and the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy - Palliative Care (FACIT-Pal) are two palliative QoL tools that have been validated for use in this population. The purpose of this article was to conduct a review of studies utilizing these two palliative-specific QoL instruments, their development and their relative strengths for use in advanced cancer patients. ⋯ Both QLQ-C15-PAL and FACIT-Pal allow for assessment of QoL issues specific to patients with advanced diseases. Each instrument has unique strengths and weaknesses and choice between these tools is dependent on the investigator and study needs. Future studies should directly compare these two tools and validate their use through a number of administration modes.