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Chemotherapy and End-Stage Cancer
Does chemotherapy improve QOL near death?
Chemotherapy use for patients with end-stage cancer does not improve quality of life near death (QOD) and actually can decrease quality of life, according to a cohort study of 158 patients with end-stage cancer. Performance status was assessed at baseline (median was 3.8 months before death) in patients with progressive metastatic cancer (n=312) and patients who received at least 1 chemotherapy regimen were followed until death. Further study details indicated:
• Among patients with good baseline performance status, chemotherapy use compared with nonuse was associated with worse QOD.
• Baseline chemotherapy use was not associated with QOD among patients with moderate or poor baseline performance status.
Citation: Prigerson HG, Bao Y, Shah MA, et al. Chemotherapy use, performance status, and quality of life at the end of life. JAMA Oncol. [Published online ahead of print July 23, 2015]. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2015.2378.