Purpose: Quality of life (QoL) has been increasingly examined in sarcoma patients, but longitudinal research on its variation across different phases of the disease is lacking. The present study aims to analyse change or stability in sarcoma patients' QoL, and to identify the distinct trajectories of change from diagnostic to treatment phase. Demographic and clinical predictors of QoL during treatments are also explored.
Method: QoL of 36 Portuguese sarcoma patients was assessed at time of diagnosis (baseline) and again at 3-6 months after the beginning of treatment (T1), using the EORTC QLQ C-30 (Portuguese version).
Results: At diagnostic and treatment phases, patients reported a diminished QoL in the majority of QLQ C-30 domains. From baseline to T1, global health/QoL improved significantly, and physical functioning declined. Over time, 38.9% of patients maintained a poor QoL, 27.8% remained in the "High QoL" cluster, and 22.2% changed towards a worse QoL. Marital status, age, professional status, and radiotherapy predicted QoL scores during treatments.
Conclusions: Results suggest that sarcoma patients may experience a diminished QoL, both at diagnosis and during treatments, and reveal a tendency for stability in QoL scores rather than for change. Initial functioning and some demographic and clinical variables have a predictive role for QoL in the treatment phase. Assessment of QoL and multidisciplinary interventions must be a part of routine cancer care, and should be implemented in an initial phase and during treatments.
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