Independent contributors to overall quality of life in people with advanced cancer

The definition of health for people with cancer is not focused solely on the physiology of illness and the length of life remaining, but is also concerned with improving the well-being and the quality of the life (QOL) remaining to be lived. This study aimed to identify the constructs most associated with QOL in people with advanced cancer.

Two hundred three persons with recent diagnoses of different advanced cancers were evaluated with 65 variables representing individual and environmental factors, biological factors, symptoms, function, general health perceptions and overall QOL at diagnosis. Three independent stepwise multiple linear regressions identified the most important contributors to overall QOL. R(2) ranking and effect sizes were estimated and averaged by construct.

The most important contributor of overall QOL for people recently diagnosed with advanced cancer was social support. It was followed by general health perceptions, energy, social function, psychological function and physical function.

We used effect sizes to summarise multiple multivariate linear regressions for a more manageable and clinically interpretable picture. The findings emphasise the importance of incorporating the assessment and treatment of relevant symptoms, functions and social support in people recently diagnosed with advanced cancer as part of their clinical care.