Quality of life of 1276 elderly patients with prostate cancer, starting treatment with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist: results of a French observational study

Figures & data

Table 1. Baseline patient characteristics.

Variable	Baseline value
Age (years), mean (±SD)	80.0 (±4.1)
75–80 years	53.8%
>80–85 years	30.9%
≥85 years	15.6%
Time since diagnosis (months), mean (±SD)	23.0 (±39.3)
Karnofsky score
≤80	18.3%
>80	81.7%
Sexually active	26.3%
Tumor stage
T0	1.7%
T1	9.2%
T2	28.1%
T3	50.0%
T4	8.7%
Tx	2.3%
N0	42.4%
N1+	9.9%
Nx	47.8%
M0	45.8%
M1	24.9%
Mx	29.2%
PSA (µg/l), median (Q1; Q3)	15.2 (8.0; 37.0)
Gleason score
<7	23.1%
7	47.9%
>7	29.1%

Table 2. Responses to QLQ-C30 questionnaire among elderly men starting GnRH therapy.

	Baseline			Follow up (3–6 months)			Change
	N	Mean	SD	N	Mean	SD	Mean [95% CI]	p‡	p¶
Global quality of life*
Global health status	1049	61.7	20.8	774	63.5	19.0	1.6 [0.2; 2.9]	0.034	0.029
Functional scales*
Physical	1071	79.7	20.9	782	80.3	20.0	0.3 [−0.8; 1.4]	0.845	0.541
Role	1066	78.6	25.8	781	80.1	24.0	0.6 [−1.0 2.2]	0.483	0.456
Emotional	1069	79.7	20.5	782	83.0	18.6	2.8 [1.6; 4.1]	<0.001	<0.001
Cognitive	1070	78.0	21.6	783	78.8	20.7	0.9 [−0.4; 2.2]	0.137	0.248
Social	1064	84.0	22.5	781	86.2	20.1	1.7 [0.3; 3.2]	0.006	0.011
Symptom scales†
Fatigue	1067	27.6	23.8	781	26.6	22.1	−0.6 [−2.1; 0.9]	0.465	0.644
Nausea/vomiting	1071	3.0	10.0	782	3.6	9.6	0.8 [−0.1; 1.7]	0.012	0.151
Pain	1069	16.9	23.5	783	12.4	18.7	−4.1 [−5.7; −2.4]	<0.001	<0.001
Dyspnea	1062	21.5	26.0	779	19.6	24.5	−1.6 [−3.3; 0.1]	0.069	0.022
Insomnia	1065	21.9	26.1	779	20.2	25.1	−2.1 [−3.9; −0.3]	0.044	0.011
Appetite loss	1063	13.8	22.6	780	9.6	17.9	−4.0 [−5.6; −2.4]	<0.001	<0.001
Constipation	1067	15.5	25.2	773	13.8	23.4	−0.9 [−2.5; 0.8]	0.353	0.159
Diarrhea	1064	5.6	15.4	777	5.6	14.8	0.9 [−0.3; 2.1]	0.266	0.359
Economical impact†
Financial difficulties	1055	5.4	15.0	774	4.4	13.8	−0.7 [−1.8; 0.5]	0.283	0.255

*Higher scores indicate better global QOL and functioning.

†Higher scores indicate worse symptoms.

‡p Value from univariate analysis.

¶p Value from mixed model.

Table 3. Responses to QLQ-PR25 questionnaire among elderly men starting GnRH therapy.

	Baseline			Follow-up (3–6 months)			Change
	N	Mean	SD	N	Mean	SD	Mean [95% CI]	p¶	p||
Urinary, bowel and treatment related symptom scales*
Urinary symptoms	1052	21.1	18.3	773	16.8	15.2	−3.7 [−4.8; −2.5]	<0.001	<0.001
Incontinence aid‡	292	20.3	29.0	172	15.5	25.8	−2.9 [−7.6; 1.8]	0.122	0.023
Bowel symptoms	992	5.8	10.4	740	5.4	9.0	0.3 [−0.4; 1.1]	0.131	0.538
Treatment related symptoms	1054	9.8	12.7	776	17.7	14.5	8.6 [7.5; 9.6]	<0.001	<0.001
Sexual domains†
Sexual activity	1028	13.3	20.9	757	8.0	16.7	−5.5 [−6.9; −4.1]	<0.001	<0.001
Sexual functioning§	282	58.3	25.0	107	39.0	24.7	−22.6 [−28.8; −16.3]	<0.001	<0.001

*Higher scores indicate worse symptoms.

†Higher scores indicate better activity and functioning.

‡Patients who wear incontinence aids only.

§Patients with sexual activity within the last 4 weeks.

¶p Value from univariate analysis.

||p Value from mixed model.