Table 7 Studies on relationship between quality of life data and survival in patients with melanoma

Cassileth et al. [12, 86]

1985 and 1988

359 unresectable cancers or early stage melanoma or breast cancer

Social and psychological factors

Social and psychological factors individually or in combined did not influence the length of survival.

Coates et al. [87]

1993

152 metastatic melanoma

LASA scales + Spitzer QLI

QLI and LASA scores for mood, appetite, and overall QOL were significant predictors of survival.

Butow et al. [88]

1999

125 metastatic melanoma

Cognitive appraisal of threat + coping + psychological adjustment + perceived aim of treatment + social support + QOL

Perceived aim of treatment, minimization, anger and better QOL were independently predictive of longer survival.

Brown et al. [89]

2000

426 early stage melanoma

3 single-item LASA scales measuring physical well-being, mood and perceived effort to cope

Shorter survival duration was associated with a positive mood (On average patients who relapsed or died reported using more active, distraction or avoidant styles of coping).

Chiarion-Sileni et al. [90]

2003

140 advanced melanoma

RSCL

Baseline overall QOL and the physical symptom distress scores were significant independent prognostic factors for survival.

Lehto et al. [91]

2007

59 localized melanoma

Coping with cancer + anger expression + perceived social support + life stresses + domains of QOL

Anger non-expression, hopelessness, over-positive reporting of QOL reduced survival while denial/minimizing response to the diagnosis as such predicted longer survival.