Psychosocial Burden and Quality of Life of Lung Cancer Patients: Results of the EORTC QLQ-C30/QLQ-LC29 Questionnaire and Hornheide Screening Instrument

Figures & data

Table 1 Baseline Characteristics (n=81)

Age (Mean, SD)		65.2 (9,7)
Smoking status
	Smoker	12 (14.8%)
	Ex-smoker	58 (71.6%)
	Non-smoker	11 (13.6%)
Disease
	SCLC	21 (26%)
	NSCLC	60 (74%)
Therapeutic approach
	Curative	30 (37%)
	Palliative	51 (63%)
Treatment
	Chemotherapy	34 (42%)
	Surgery	12 (14.8%)
	Targeted therapy	11 (13.6%)
	Immune therapy	10 (12.3%)
	Radio-chemotherapy	7 (8.6%)
	Radiotherapy	7 (8.6%)
Comorbidity
	Yes	46 (57%)
	No	35 (43%)
Karnofsky Performance Status (median, IQR)		80% (70–90)

Abbreviations: n, number; SCLC, small cell lung cancer; NSCLC, non-small cell lung cancer.

Table 2 EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-LC29 Results (n=81 Patients)

QLQ-C30	Mean	SD
Global quality of life	47.8	22.8
Physical functioning	58.6	25.7
Role functioning	44.2	30.6
Emotional functioning	57.7	27.8
Cognitive functioning	77.8	22.7
Social functioning	55.1	32.6
Fatigue	55.4	26.3
Nausea/vomiting	19.5	28.7
Pain	32.5	31.1
Dyspnea	46.3	36.2
Insomnia	36.2	34.6
Appetite loss	38.3	40.5
Obstipation	24.3	33.3
Diarrhea	12.3	23.2
Financial problems	25.5	28.5
QLQ-LC29	Mean	SD
Cough	39.1	30.3
Shortness of breath	39.0	26.9
Side effects	23.8	14.3
Existential fear	66.0	32.7
Cough blood	4.5	18.8
Chest pain	21.4	30.4
Shoulder pain	23.9	30.8
Bodypain	29.6	33.7
Weight loss	27.9	35.0

Notes: All scales range from 0 to 100. In the symptom scales, a higher score is associated with a higher symptom burden. In the functioning scales the reverse is true, higher scores denote better performance.

Abbreviations: EORTC, European Organisation for Research and Treatment; n, number; SD, standard deviation.

Table 3 Correlation Between EORTC QLQL-C30/QLQ-LC29 and the Hornheide Screening Instrument (n=81 Patients)

	Hornheider Screening Instrument
QLQ-C30	Pearson Correlation	Significance (2tailed)
Global quality of life	−0.495	0
Physical functioning	−0.316	0.004
Role functioning	−0.284	0.011
Emotional functioning	−0.591	0
Cognitive functioning	−0.377	0.001
Social functioning	−0.399	0
Fatigue	0.386	0
Nausea/vomiting	0.322	0.003
Pain	0.311	0.005
Dyspnea	0.279	0.012
Insomnia	0.286	0.01
Appetite loss	0.253	0.023
Obstipation	0.075	0.507
Diarrhea	0.230	0.039
Financial problems	0.432	0
	Hornheider Screening Instrument
QLQ-LC29	Pearson Correlation	Significance (2tailed)
Cough	0.157	0.161
Shortness of breath	0.176	0.116
Side effects	0.414	0.000
Existential fear	0.331	0.003
Cough blood	0.128	0.257
Chest pain	0.323	0.003
Shoulder pain	0.202	0.070
Bodypain	0.213	0.056
Weight loss	0.161	0.155

Abbreviation: N, number.

Figure 1 Need for psychosocial help after Hornheide screening instrument in comparison with EORTC QLQ-C30/LC29 subscales.

Note: Red line = need for psychosocial help after Hornheide screening instrument (48%).