Quality of life as an outcome variable in the management of advanced cancer

<b>Background and Objective:</b> Though well recognized in the West, palliative care and quality of life are relatively newer concepts in a developing country like India. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of palliative care on pain and quality of life and to identify the ass...

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Main Authors: Bisht Manisha, Bist S, Dhasmana D, Saini Sunil
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 2010-12-01
Series:Indian Journal of Medical and Paediatric Oncology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ijmpo.org/article.asp?issn=0971-5851;year=2010;volume=31;issue=4;spage=121;epage=125;aulast=Bisht
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author Bisht Manisha
Bist S
Dhasmana D
Saini Sunil
author_facet Bisht Manisha
Bist S
Dhasmana D
Saini Sunil
author_sort Bisht Manisha
collection DOAJ
description <b>Background and Objective:</b> Though well recognized in the West, palliative care and quality of life are relatively newer concepts in a developing country like India. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of palliative care on pain and quality of life and to identify the association between the two. <b>Study Design:</b> Observational prospective study. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> Patients with advanced cancer, receiving palliative drug therapy, were recruited from a tertiary care hospital. City of Hope Medical Center Quality of Life Survey and visual analog scale (VAS) were used to assess the quality of life and cancer pain severity, respectively. <b>Results:</b> A total of 100 patients were included in the study. Palliative drug therapy produced a significant reduction in pain scores expressed as mean&#177;SD in VAS [7.13&#177;2.2 vs. 2.62&#177;2.1 (<i>P</i>&lt;0.001) after 1 month in 93 patients; 7.06&#177;2.1 vs. 2.47&#177;2.1 (<i>P</i>&lt;0.001) after 1 month and 2.02&#177;1.9 (<i>P</i>&lt;0.001) after 2 months in 51 patients]. Also, significant improvement in the quality of life scores [919.78&#177;271.3 vs. 1280.65&#177;306.8 (<i>P</i>&lt;0.01) after 1 month in 93 patients; 950.39&#177;238.2 vs. 1336.67&#177;291 (<i>P</i>&lt;0.01) after 1 month and 1405.49&#177;368.3 (<i>P</i>&lt;0.01) after 2 months in 51 patients] was obtained. There was a high correlation between the average change of pain intensity and quality of life scores (<i>r</i>=&#8722;0.53, <i>P</i>&lt;0.02). Overall, a reduction in pain resulted in significant improvement in the quality of life (<i>P</i>&lt;0.001). <b>Conclusion:</b> This study emphasizes the role of palliative care and, more importantly, pain management in improving the quality of life of advanced cancer patients.
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spelling doaj-art-49fdac28dd5940d89a2c0bd63ad74a4e2025-08-20T02:39:22ZengThieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Pvt. Ltd.Indian Journal of Medical and Paediatric Oncology0971-58510975-21292010-12-01314121125Quality of life as an outcome variable in the management of advanced cancerBisht ManishaBist SDhasmana DSaini Sunil<b>Background and Objective:</b> Though well recognized in the West, palliative care and quality of life are relatively newer concepts in a developing country like India. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of palliative care on pain and quality of life and to identify the association between the two. <b>Study Design:</b> Observational prospective study. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> Patients with advanced cancer, receiving palliative drug therapy, were recruited from a tertiary care hospital. City of Hope Medical Center Quality of Life Survey and visual analog scale (VAS) were used to assess the quality of life and cancer pain severity, respectively. <b>Results:</b> A total of 100 patients were included in the study. Palliative drug therapy produced a significant reduction in pain scores expressed as mean&#177;SD in VAS [7.13&#177;2.2 vs. 2.62&#177;2.1 (<i>P</i>&lt;0.001) after 1 month in 93 patients; 7.06&#177;2.1 vs. 2.47&#177;2.1 (<i>P</i>&lt;0.001) after 1 month and 2.02&#177;1.9 (<i>P</i>&lt;0.001) after 2 months in 51 patients]. Also, significant improvement in the quality of life scores [919.78&#177;271.3 vs. 1280.65&#177;306.8 (<i>P</i>&lt;0.01) after 1 month in 93 patients; 950.39&#177;238.2 vs. 1336.67&#177;291 (<i>P</i>&lt;0.01) after 1 month and 1405.49&#177;368.3 (<i>P</i>&lt;0.01) after 2 months in 51 patients] was obtained. There was a high correlation between the average change of pain intensity and quality of life scores (<i>r</i>=&#8722;0.53, <i>P</i>&lt;0.02). Overall, a reduction in pain resulted in significant improvement in the quality of life (<i>P</i>&lt;0.001). <b>Conclusion:</b> This study emphasizes the role of palliative care and, more importantly, pain management in improving the quality of life of advanced cancer patients.http://www.ijmpo.org/article.asp?issn=0971-5851;year=2010;volume=31;issue=4;spage=121;epage=125;aulast=Bisht<i>Advanced cancercancer painquality of life</i>
spellingShingle Bisht Manisha
Bist S
Dhasmana D
Saini Sunil
Quality of life as an outcome variable in the management of advanced cancer
Indian Journal of Medical and Paediatric Oncology
<i>Advanced cancer
cancer pain
quality of life</i>
title Quality of life as an outcome variable in the management of advanced cancer
title_full Quality of life as an outcome variable in the management of advanced cancer
title_fullStr Quality of life as an outcome variable in the management of advanced cancer
title_full_unstemmed Quality of life as an outcome variable in the management of advanced cancer
title_short Quality of life as an outcome variable in the management of advanced cancer
title_sort quality of life as an outcome variable in the management of advanced cancer
topic <i>Advanced cancer
cancer pain
quality of life</i>
url http://www.ijmpo.org/article.asp?issn=0971-5851;year=2010;volume=31;issue=4;spage=121;epage=125;aulast=Bisht
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AT bists qualityoflifeasanoutcomevariableinthemanagementofadvancedcancer
AT dhasmanad qualityoflifeasanoutcomevariableinthemanagementofadvancedcancer
AT sainisunil qualityoflifeasanoutcomevariableinthemanagementofadvancedcancer