SYMPTOM OCCURRENCE AND SEVERITY AND HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH BREAST OR GYNECOLOGIC CANCER RECEIVING MATCHED CANCER THERAPY

Abstract

Background: Scientific advancements in oncology allow routine patient cancer genomic profiling, which may guide the choice of novel therapies to match genomic alterations for the treatment of cancer. Potential differences in cancer therapy-related symptom severity and occurrence as well as health-related quality of life (HRQOL) between patients who receive matched therapy and those who do not have not been previously explored. Purposes: The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics of patients with breast or gynecologic cancer who were receiving matched therapy or not matched therapy, as well as to describe their cancer therapy-related symptom occurrence and severity, and overall HRQOL. Methods: Existing data from the records of 129 patients receiving care at a cancer center in the upper Midwest were used for this descriptive correlational research study. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to address the study purpose and aims. Results: This study found that patients receiving matched therapy had lower mean therapy-related symptom checklist (TRSC) scores (M = 14.7) than patients receiving not matched therapy (M = 16.1). Compared to prior studies, a higher percentage of patients (29%) added symptoms to the TRSC. TRSC scores for individual symptoms were similar across groups, except pain, which was higher in patients receiving matched therapy, and hair loss, which was higher in patients receiving not matched therapy. Patients receiving matched therapy had higher mean Health-Related Quality of Life – Linear Analogue Self Assessment (HRQOL-LASA) scores (M = 48.1), than patients receiving not matched therapy (M = 45.4). Patients who had prior therapy less than three months prior to the onset of the current therapy had significantly higher TRSC total scores than patients with no prior therapy (B = 6.2, p = 0.045). Patients who had a higher number of prior lines of therapy had significantly higher HRQOL-LASA scores (B = 0.56, p = 0.05). Patients with higher TRSC scores had significantly lower HRQOL-LASA (B = -0.36, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Patients receiving matched therapy did not have worse therapy-related symptoms or HRQOL. Findings provide initial information about the symptom experience and HRQOL for patients receiving matched therapy.