Health-related quality of life as a prognostic factor in patients with advanced cancer.

BACKGROUND: Evidence continues to accumulate regarding the association between health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and survival across chronic diseases. The objectives of the current study were to investigate the prognostic value of HRQoL in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma after adjusting for sociodemographics, disease-related factors, and treatment-related factors. METHODS: A total of 321 patients diagnosed with hepatocellular or cholangiocarcinoma were administered the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Hepatobiliary instrument. Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were performed to test the association between the 5 domains of HRQoL and survival. RESULTS: Using Cox regression, overall HRQoL was found to be significantly associated with survival (P = .003) after adjusting for demographics, disease-specific factors, and treatment. Subscales of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Hepatobiliary, including the Physical Well-Being (P = .02) and the Symptoms and Side Effects subscales (P = .05), were also found to be significantly associated with survival after adjusting for demographics, disease-specific factors, and treatment. CONCLUSIONS: HRQoL was found to be prognostic of survival in patients with hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma while covarying for demographics, disease-specific factors, and treatment. Stratifying patients based on HRQoL when testing novel treatments may be recommended. Health-related quality of life was found to be prognostic of survival in patients with hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma while controlling for demographics, disease-specific factors, and treatment-related factors.

The development of practice guidelines for independent living donor advocates.

The practice recommendations discussed here are based on the findings of the national survey as well as the opinions of the authors. The recommendations that are proposed here are not exhaustive and are aspirational in intent and are likely to evolve with time. Practice guidelines are recommended for legal and regulatory issues (e.g., state or federal laws), consumer or public benefit (e.g., improving service delivery, avoiding harm to the patient, decreasing disparities in underserved or vulnerable populations), and for professional guidance (e.g., new role, professional risk management issues, advances in practice). Without such practice guidelines, donors, and indirectly the candidates, may be at increased risk for possible bias or undue harm.