Quality of life data as prognostic indicators of survival in cancer patients: an overview of the literature from 1982 to 2008

Table 1 Studies on relationship between quality of life data and survival in heterogeneous sample of cancer patients

Author(s)	Year	Sample	HRQOL measure(s)	Results*
Degner and Sloan [15]	1995	435 ambulatory heterogeneous sample of cancer patients (including 82 lung cancer)	SDS	The single measure of symptom distress was a significant predictor of survival in lung cancer.
Ringdal et al. [16]	1996	253 heterogeneous sample of cancer patients	Physical functioning + psychosocial variables	Physical functioning was prognostic factor of survival but psychosocial covariates were not.
Tamburini et al. [17]	1996	100 terminal cancer patients	TIQ	Confusion, cognitive status and global health status were independent prognostic of survival.
Coates et al. [18]	1997	735 advanced malignancies	EORTC QLQ-C30	Global QOL and social functioning were significantly predictive of survival among solid tumor patients, metastatic site.
Dancey et al. [19]	1997	474 heterogeneous population of cancer patients	EORTC QLQ-C30	Global QOL was significantly associated with survival.
Chang et al. [20]	1998	218 cancers patients (colon, breast, ovary or prostate)	MSAS	Physical symptom subscale score significantly predicted survival.
Lam et al. [21]	2007	170 advanced cancer	HDS + ESAS + McGill QOL	ESAS score was independent prognostic factor for survival.

Abbreviations: EORTC QLQ-C30: European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire; ESAS: Edmonton Symptom Assessment System; HDS: Hamilton Depression Scale; McGill QOL: McGill quality of Life-single item; MSAS: Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale; QOL: quality of life; SDS: Symptom Distress Scale; TIQ: Therapy Impact Questionnaire.
* All results obtained from multivariate analyses after controlling for one or more demographic and known biomedical prognostic factors.