Trajectory of quality of life among patients with cancer at the end of life: a longitudinal survey study

Purpose: Measuring and understanding the determinants of HRQoL is essential to the delivery of effective and high-quality end-of-life (EoL) care to patients with cancer. Despite this, the evidence base remains sparse and with much of the existing literature relying on data from cross-sectional studies and clinical trials. Aim: The objective of this study was to describe HRQoL in a population of patients with cancer leading up till death using both the generic preference-based scale European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions 5 Level Version and the disease-specific scale European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire. Methods: Using a longitudinal prospective study design, HRQoL data was collected in four waves over the course of one year. The population consisted of all patients who received cancer-targeted drug treatment at the Department of Oncology at Odense University Hospital, Denmark. Only patients who died during the data collection period were included. Results: HRQoL in patients with cancer was stable for most months and close to the level of the general Danish population at the same age but deteriorated considerably in the last three months of life. The same pattern was observed for both HRQoL scales. Conclusion: Despite current efforts to deliver high-quality EoL care to patients with cancer, we see a general decrease in HRQoL in the months leading up to death. The generic and disease-specific HRQoL scales do capture different dimensions of HRQoL which also, by construct, are weighted differently in the two approaches.