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New findings in quality of life described from University of Medicine
April 7th, 2008
2008 APR 7 -- New research, 'Correlation of quality of life with tumor response in patients receiving palliative chemotherapy for advanced gastrointestinal tumors,' is the subject of a report. "We prospectively evaluated the association of tumor response with change of quality of life (QOL) in patients with advanced gastrointestinal tumors receiving palliative chemotherapy. Out of 133 eligible patients, 90 (68%) completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment Quality of Life Questionnaire C-30 (EORTC QLQ C-30) at baseline and at regular intervals during palliative chemotherapy," scientists writing in the journal Medical Oncology report. "Among the 90 available patients, 88 patients could be evaluated for response, and 32 (36%) responded. Taking into account 32 patients who had stable disease, 64 (73%) achieved a clinical benefit, defined as an objective response or stable disease. Improvement in the emotional functioning or global QOL was observed before the fourth cycle of chemotherapy in responders (p=0.039) and patients with clinical benefit (p=0.026). Grade 3 or 4 toxic effects occurred in 39% of patients; however, this did not adversely affect the global or other domains of QOL. Therefore, change of QOL during the chemotherapy was closely related with clinical outcomes," wrote D.B. Shin and colleagues, University of Medicine. The researchers concluded: "We should apply the QOL assessment to all patients who received palliative chemotherapy for their gastrointestinal tumors." Shin and colleagues published their study in Medical Oncology (Correlation of quality of life with tumor response in patients receiving palliative chemotherapy for advanced gastrointestinal tumors. Medical Oncology, 2008;25(1):81-7). Additional information can be obtained by contacting D.B. Shin, Gachon University of Medicine and Science Gil Hospital, Dept. of Internal Medicine, Incheon, Korea. The publisher of the journal Medical Oncology can be contacted at: Humana Press Inc., 999 Riverview Drive Suite 208, Totowa, NJ 07512, USA. Keywords: Korea, Chemotherapy, Drug Therapy, Gastroenterology, Oncology, Quality of Care, Quality of Life. This article was prepared by Biotech Business Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2008, Biotech Business Week via NewsRx.com.
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