Background: The aim of this study was to assess the outcome in patients with lung cancer.
Patients and methods: Prospective study in 93 patients with lung cancer in 3 community hospitals. In each evaluation (4-6 weeks) the following results were obtained: a) questionnaire on the quality of life or performance status (QoL/PS), based on different instruments (Karnofsky Performance Scale [KPS], ECOG, QLQ-C30, and the Nottingham Health Profile [NHP], and b) a clinical questionnaire. Active follow-up was for 18 months and survival tracking was to five years. A descriptive analysis of the outcome variables and a survival analysis (Kaplan-Meier) were done. The prognostic value of each instrument (Cox) and the correlation between the instruments (Spearman) were also evaluated.
Results: The mean values recorded at the time of diagnosis between 60% and 70% of the maximum value possible. Mean survival was 12.4 months; accumulated survival was 30% to one year and 4% to 55 months. Only 17% of patients presented any disease-free period. Toxicity of treatment was almost always irrelevant. The correlation between the KPS, the QLQ-30 and the NHP was acceptable and their initial values were important prognostic factors. The QoL/PS scores for the survivors were similar to their initial values, but the global values were 11%.
Conclusions: The outcomes measures used in this study provide very useful information, although registration and analysis of the necessary data should be systematic. The KPS was comparable to the other QoL/PS indicators used, but it is shorter, more acceptable and easier to use. Better QoL/PS measurement instruments are needed to evaluate outcomes in the practice of clinical oncology.