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Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop a European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Group (EORTC QLG) questionnaire that captures the full range of physical, mental, and social health-related quality of life (HRQOL) issues relevant to disease-free cancer survivors. In this phase III study, we pretested the provisional core questionnaire (QLQ-SURV111) and aimed to identify essential and optional scales. Methods: We pretested the QLQ-SURV111 in 492 cancer survivors from 17 countries with one of 11 cancer diagnoses. We applied the EORTC QLG decision rules and employed factor analysis and item response theory (IRT) analysis to assess and, where necessary, modify the hypothesized questionnaire scales. We calculated correlations between the survivorship scales and the QLQ-C30 summary score and carried out a Delphi survey among healthcare professionals, patient representatives, and cancer researchers to distinguish between essential and optional scales. Results: Fifty-four percent of the sample was male, mean age was 60 years, and, on average, time since completion of treatment was 3.8 years. Eleven items were excluded, resulting in the QLQ-SURV100, with 12 functional and 9 symptom scales, a symptom checklist, 4 single items, and 10 conditional items. The essential survivorship scales consist of 73 items. Conclusions: The QLQ-SURV100 has been developed to assess comprehensively the HRQOL of disease-free cancer survivors. It includes essential and optional scales and will be validated further in an international phase IV study. Implications for Cancer Survivors: The availability of this questionnaire will facilitate a standardized and robust assessment of the HRQOL of disease-free cancer survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aim: Cancer cachexia is a metabolic syndrome related with poor outcome. Cytokines play a key role in the pathophysiology of that syndrome. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential correlations between nutritional status, systemic inflammation, and psychological distress in cancer patients. The prognostic significance of the recorded parameters was also assessed. Patients and methods: Patients with metastatic lung cancer were eligible. Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) was used for the evaluation of nutritional status, Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) for the estimation of systemic inflammation, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) for psychological assessment. Results: Totally, 122 patients were enrolled (71.3% with NSCLC and 28.7% with SCLC). The following correlations were observed: MNA and GPS ( r = 0.289, p = 0.001), MNA and HADS (depression scale) ( r = 0.275, p = 0.002), GPS and HADS (depression scale) ( r = 0.256, p = 0.004), and GPS and HADS (anxiety scale) ( r = 0.194, p = 0.033). In univariate analysis, GPS ( p = 0.002) and MNA ( p = 0.010) emerged as significant predictors of survival. In multivariate analysis, both MNA ( p = 0.032) and GPS ( p = 0.020) retained their importance. Conclusions: This study highlights the associations between nutritional status, systemic inflammation, and psychological distress, supporting their common underlying pathophysiological mechanisms and further suggesting the necessity of a holistic anti-cachectic approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate efficacy and toxicity of a combination of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin and irinotecan in patients with refractory small-cell lung cancer.Patients and Methods: Thirty-one patients with early relapse after first-line therapy with cisplatin/etoposide were treated with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin 15 mg/m(2) and irinotecan 125 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 15. Treatment was repeated every 28 days.Results: A total of 144 chemotherapy courses were administered. All patients were evaluable for toxicity and twenty-six (84%) for response. Grade 3 neutropenia occurred in two (6.5%) patients and grade 1 thrombocytopenia in one (3.2%). Fatigue was the most frequent grade 3 non-hematologic toxicity and was observed in seven patients (23%). Four (12.9; 95% CI: 1.1-24.7%) patients achieved a partial response, and disease stabilization was observed in additional two (6.5%) patients (Tumor Growth Control: 19.4; 95% CI: 5.5-33.3%). The median TTP was 2.03 months, and the median survival time was 3.16 months.Conclusions: The combination of pegylated doxorubicin and irinotecan is very well tolerated but with modest activity in patients with refractory SCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]