Comorbidity burden and health-related quality of life in men with advanced prostate cancer

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Geriatrics
• Public Health

Background:

• Comorbidities significantly impact patient outcomes in advanced prostate cancer (APC).
• Understanding the relationship between comorbidity burden and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in APC is essential for effective patient management.
• Previous research has not fully elucidated the extent of comorbidities and their impact on HRQoL in men with APC.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of comorbidities in men with advanced prostate cancer (APC).
• To investigate the association between the burden of comorbidities and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and other patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in men with APC.

Main Methods:

• An observational study involving 192 men with stage III or IV APC (average age 68.8).
• Participants completed a psychosocial assessment including sociodemographic factors, HRQoL, PROs, and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI).
• Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was employed to assess the relationships between CCI, HRQoL, and PROs.

Main Results:

• A high prevalence of comorbidities was observed, with 82% of participants having at least one condition.
• Common comorbidities included hypertension (59%), arthritis (31%), and diabetes (24%).
• Higher CCI scores were significantly linked to worse HRQoL, increased depression, fatigue, pain, stress, and cancer-specific distress, while associated with lower positive affect.

Conclusions:

• Comorbidities are frequent in men with advanced prostate cancer (APC).
• Increased comorbidity burden, as measured by the CCI, is associated with poorer HRQoL and other patient-reported outcomes.
• Clinical management of APC should integrate strategies to address comorbidities alongside cancer treatment to improve patient well-being.