Prognostic impact of baseline quality of life status among patients with advanced gastric cancer; results from two randomized studies

ABSTRACT

Background: The aim of this study is to assess the impact of baseline quality of life status (as assessed by the EQ-5D-3L questionnaire) on the prognosis of patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Methods: This study represents a pooled analysis from the control arms of two clinical trials (NCT00290966; NCT00678535). Both control arms evaluated fluoropyrimidine/cisplatin combination in the first line treatment of advanced gastric cancer. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to assess factors affecting overall and progression-free survival. Factors with P < 0.05 in univariate analysis were included in the multivariate analysis.

Results: A total of 654 patients with advanced gastric cancer were evaluated in the current study. Cox regression analyses were conducted to determine factors which might affect overall and progression-free survival. The following factors were predictive of better overall survival in a multivariate Cox regression model: lower ECOG score (P = 0.031) and higher EQ-5D score (P = 0.001). Likewise, the following factors were predictive of better progression-free survival in a multivariate Cox regression model: lower ECOG score (P = 0.005) and higher EQ-5D score (P = 0.041).

Conclusion: Advanced gastric cancer patients with better baseline quality of life status have better overall and progression-free survival. Given the EQ-5D easy-to-use model, extending its use in routine clinical practice settings should be considered.

KEYWORDS:

• Advanced gastric cancer
• quality of life
• survival
• chemotherapy

Declaration of interest

The author has no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all participants included in the two studies.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.