Table 3 Quality of life measures by clinical factor and treatment side effect in cancer among cancer patients in Malaysia (n = 1620)

 Breast

65.30 ± 19.13

58.35 ± 19.56

57.90 ± 24.65

63.74 ± 18.86

 Ovarian

75.03 ± 23.19

77.00 ± 14.21

72.70 ± 22.21

72.22 ± 23.93

 Cervical

68.43 ± 13.94

59.76 ± 15.32

67.62 ± 17.64

67.86 ± 14.38

 Colorectal

61.98 ± 20.17

60.05 ± 17.64

58.43 ± 23.23

61.28 ± 20.88

 Lymphoma

60.45 ± 19.56

55.66 ± 18.88

56.39 ± 20.86

58.60 ± 18.51

 Stomach

60.67 ± 22.25

60.47 ± 24.27

49.43 ± 22.36

59.30 ± 24.92

 Others

66.89 ± 22.45

64.36 ± 18.06

56.96 ± 25.81

66.32 ± 21.83

 Statistics

F = 7.25, p < 0.00*

F = 11.47, p < 0.00*

F = 11.87, p < 0.00*

F = 6.58, p < 0.00*

 I

67.01 ± 20.46

67.08 ± 22.53

62.08 ± 27.54

67.08 ± 20.06

 II

63.04 ± 18.33

59.93 ± 18.74

56.59 ± 22.04

62.18 ± 19.40

 III

67.92 ± 18.61

60.16 ± 19.06

61.92 ± 23.49

66.41 ± 18.95

 IV

60.90 ± 21.63

57.57 ± 17.50

54.79 ± 23.07

59.61 ± 21.88

 Statistics

F = 13.80, p < 0.001*

F = 8.56, p < 0.001*

F = 11.07, p < 0.001*

F = 13.52, p < 0.001*

 Chemotherapy

64.84 ± 19.91

60.91 ± 18.97

58.49 ± 23.58

63.63 ± 20.22

 Chemotherapy & radiation

60.04 ± 22.43

54.43 ± 20.88

57.78 ± 25.80

59.34 ± 23.13

 Statistics

t = 2.67, p < 0.008*

t = 3.79, p < 0.001*

t = 0.33, p < 0.73

t = 2.34, p < 0.01*

 1st cycle

68.43 ± 18.21

64.38 ± 19.73

64.43 ± 22.92

67.54 ± 18.65

 2nd cycle

61.89 ± 20.95

57.80 ± 18.77

54.60 ± 23.52

60.54 ± 21.17

 Statistic

t = 6.44, p < 0.001*

t = 6.80, p < 0.001*

t = 8.28, p < 0.001*

t = 6.79, p < 0.001*

 Yes

60.74 ± 21.79

57.08 ± 17.44

56.08 ± 23.20

59.13 ± 22.04

 No

67.58 ± 18.12

63.15 ± 20.20

60.43 ± 24.08

66.78 ± 18.41

 Statistic

t = −6.88, p < 0.001*

t = − 6.41, p < 0.001*

t = − 3.68, p < 0.001*

t = − 7.61, p < 0.001*

 No side effect

81.97 ± 14.68

76.40 ± 8.68

79.97 ± 8.60

82.98 ± 12.24

 One side effect

82.75 ± 10.65

79.74 ± 10.52

83.09 ± 7.61

79.98 ± 10.40

 Two side effect

81.43 ± 10.70

81.35 ± 6.22

81.81 ± 9.71

79.79 ± 8.78

 ≥ Three side effect

59.73 ± 19.34

55.18 ± 18.02

52.20 ± 22.66

58.52 ± 19.99

 Statistic

F = 135.82, p < 0.001*

F = 201.08, p < 0.001*

F = 183.96, p < 0.001*

F = 133.99, p < 0.001*

 Yes

57.45 ± 18.89

52.43 ± 16.60

49.44 ± 21.47

56.23 ± 19.61

 No

81.28 ± 11.25

79.49 ± 8.82

80.11 ± 12.31

80.21 ± 10.05

 Statistic

t = −25.66, p < 0.001*

t = − 33.58, p < 0.001*

t = − 29.19, p < 0.001*

t = − 25.29, p < 0.001*

 Yes

54.07 ± 16.95

49.55 ± 14.87

47.79 ± 20.55

53.11 ± 18.07

 No

82.68 ± 9.81

79.39 ± 7.88

77.17 ± 16.32

81.13 ± 9.23

 Statistic

t = −37.46, p < 0.001*

t = − 45.13, p < 0.001*

t = − 29.71, p < 0.001*

t = − 35.04, p < 0.001*

 Yes

59.37 ± 19.43

54.72 ± 17.86

51.68 ± 22.66

58.10 ± 20.05

 No

80.82 ± 12.29

78.59 ± 9.83

80.24 ± 10.46

79.94 ± 10.78

 Statistic

t = −20.37, p < 0.001*

t = − 24.99, p < 0.001*

t = − 23.87, p < 0.001*

t = − 20.41, p < 0.001*

 Yes

62.18 ± 19.91

58.20 ± 19.06

55.55 ± 23.59

60.93 ± 20.29

 No

80.31 ± 13.93

75.57 ± 12.11

78.64 ± 12.63

79.63 ± 13.38

 Statistic

t = −12.50, p < 0.001*

t = − 12.59, p < 0.001*

t = − 13.62, p < 0.001*

t = − 12.70, p < 0.001*

 Yes

54.75 ± 27.84

56.96 ± 19.86

52.46 ± 27.06

54.29 ± 28.61

 No

66.01 ± 18.17

60.91 ± 19.06

59.40 ± 23.06

64.72 ± 18.48

 Statistic

t = −7.92, p < 0.00*

t = − 2.87, p < 0.004*

t = − 4.08, p < 0.001*

t = − 7.20, p < 0.001*

 Yes

48.53 ± 16.38

45.05 ± 12.56

39.11 ± 16.62

47.56 ± 17.44

 No

76.18 ± 13.60

71.68 ± 14.98

72.70 ± 17.29

74.86 ± 13.79

 Statistic

t = −37.05, p < 0.001*

t = − 37.83, p < 0.001*

t = − 39.27, p < 0.001*

t = − 35.14, p < 0.001*

 Yes

58.14 ± 19.09

53.47 ± 17.18

50.48 ± 22.05

57.05 ± 19.94

 No

81.06 ± 11.77

78.57 ± 10.41

79.44 ± 12.89

79.66 ± 10.55

 Statistic

t = −23.67, p < 0.001*

t = − 28.87, p < 0.001*

t = − 26.06, p < 0.001*

t = − 22.73, p < 0.001*