Impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on respiratory status and quality of life in newly diagnosed patients with lung cancer

Pulmonary Oncology—Scope of the Pulmonologist

The International Agency for Research on Cancer GLOBOCAN project has predicted that India's cancer burden will nearly double in the next 20 years, from slightly more than a million new cases in 2012 to more than 1·7 million by 2035. In India, chronic respiratory diseases have emerged as a leading health care burden with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) being the second leading cause of deaths and disability-adjusted life years. Patients with COPD are 6.35 times more likely to develop lung cancer. The deadly dual epidemic of “chronic respiratory diseases and cancer” warrants not only prevention but also creating an increased awareness among oncologists as well as pulmonologists to enable early diagnosis and treatment. It would be incorrect to assume that the scope of a pulmonologist in oncology is just diagnosing and treating lung cancer or prescribing chemotherapy for lung cancer. There is a larger world full of opportunities beyond that, and we look at the pulmonologist as a member of a multidisciplinary oncology team working together with the surgical, radiation, and medical oncologist and ancillary specialties to address all the issues highlighted earlier that are faced in oncology practice. The current exposure to pulmonary oncology and related complications during postgraduate training for respiratory medicine in India is limited. It is necessary not only to educate the pulmonologist on their role in an oncology setup but also to increase the awareness across all oncology specialties regarding the pulmonologist's contribution in management of the cancer patient. In this review, written based on our experience gained in our pulmonology service in our tertiary oncology center, we have tried to portray the wide role of the pulmonologist in oncology. We have realized that what is lacking is the basic awareness regarding the above potential, both among pulmonologists and oncologists. Our mission is to take this message across specialists in India, highlighting how we can work synergistically in the fight against cancer.

Timing of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease diagnosis in lung cancer prognosis: a clinical and genomic-based study

Background

A two-phase study (clinical and genomic-based) was conducted to evaluate the effect of timing of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) diagnosis on lung cancer outcomes.

Methods

The prognostic influence of COPD was investigated in a clinical cohort of 1,986 patients who received surgery for stage I lung cancer; 823 (41.4%) of them also had COPD, including 549 (27.6%) incidental COPD (diagnosed within 6-months of lung cancer diagnosis) and 274 (13.8%) prior COPD (>6 months before lung cancer diagnosis). The genomic variations were analyzed from another cohort of 1,549 patients for association with 384 lung cancer-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).

Results

Older age (≥70 years), smokers, and respiratory symptoms were independent predictors of incidental COPD in lung cancer (all P<0.05). Similar to prior COPD, incidental COPD increased postoperative complications and worsened quality-of-life related to dyspnea (both P<0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed lung cancer survival decreased significantly in incidental COPD (HR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.02–1.66), but not in prior COPD (HR, 1.15; 95% CI, 0.87–1.52). Among prior COPD, median survival showed a trend for being better in those with fewer exacerbations (0–1 vs. ≥2 exacerbation/year; 6.1 vs. 4.1 years; P=0.10). The SNP-based analysis identified ADCY2:rs52827085 was significantly associated with risk of incidental COPD (OR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.30–2.38) and NRXN1:rs1356888 associated with prior COPD complicated with lung cancer (OR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.29–2.33).

Conclusions

Different long-term survival and genomic variants were observed between lung cancer patients with incidental and with prior COPD, suggesting timing of COPD diagnosis should be considered in lung cancer clinical management and mechanistic research.

A Prospective Outcome Assessment After Bronchoscopic Interventions for Malignant Central Airway Obstruction

BACKGROUND

A systematic assessment of comprehensive clinical outcomes after various therapeutic procedures for malignant central airway obstruction (CAO) is lacking.

METHODS

Patients with symptomatic malignant CAO undergoing various therapeutic bronchoscopy procedures were assessed for symptomatic and functional improvement using the Speiser Score, spirometry, 6-minute walk distance (6MWD), and St. George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) up to 3 months after the procedures.

RESULTS

A total of 83 intervention procedures were performed in 65 patients, comprising 43 (66.2%) male individuals [overall mean age, 52.4; SD, 15.4 y]. The majority of these (92.3%) was done using rigid bronchoscope under general anesthesia. Airway stenting was the most common intervention performed (56.6%), followed by mechanical debulking (26.5%), cryodebulking (6%), electrosurgical removal (4.8%), balloon dilatation (3.6%), and laser ablation (2.4%).A total of 15 complications (18.1%) were noted. Of these, 8 (53.3%) were early complications and 7 (46.7%) were late complications. Early complications included airway bleeding, hypoxia, vocal cord injury, laryngeal injury, and pneumothorax. Late complications included significant granulation tissue formation in metallic stents and lung collapse because of mucus plug.The survival rates at 4, 8, and 12 weeks were 83%, 70.7%, and 66.1%, respectively. Significant improvement was observed in dyspnea, cough, Speiser Score, 6MWD, forced expiratory volume in 1 s, forced vital capacity, and SGRQ scores at 48 hours, 4 weeks, and at 12 weeks after the procedures and no procedure-related mortality occurred.

CONCLUSION

Various therapeutic bronchoscopic interventions, including combined modalities, provide rapid and sustained improvements in symptoms, respiratory status, exercise capacity, and quality of life in malignant CAO and have a good safety profile.

Comparison of quality of life and depression between hematopoietic stem cell transplantation survivors and their spouse caregivers

Background

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is an exhausting process that impacts both the patient and caregiver.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional, HSCT survivor-spouse caregiver matching study to determine quality of life (QoL) and depression among HSCT survivors and their caregivers. QoL and depression were measured with the World Health Organization Quality of Life: Brief Version (26 items) and the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire, respectively. Data from 97 married couples were analyzed.

Results

There were no significant differences in overall QoL and psychological, social, and environmental health between survivors and spouse caregivers (P=0.345, 0.424, 0.415, and 0.253); however, physical QoL was better in the spouse caregiver group (P=0.011). There was no difference in mean depression scale scores (5.3 vs. 5.1, P=0.812) or proportion of severe depression (15.6% vs. 13.7%, P=0.270) between the two groups. We found that family income had a significant impact on overall QoL and environmental health among spouse caregivers (P=0.013 and 0.023), and female gender, co-morbidities, and family income were the important factors associated with depression among spouse caregivers (P=0.007, 0.017 and 0.049).

Conclusion

This study found that there were no significant differences in QoL or level of depression between HSCT survivors and their spouse caregivers. Family income, gender, and co-morbidities showed significant association with spouse caregiver distress.

Satisfactory results of a psychometric analysis and calculation of minimal clinically important differences of the World Health Organization quality of life-BREF questionnaire in an observational cohort study with lung cancer and mesothelioma patients

Background

To determine the psychometric properties and minimal clinically important differences (MCIDs) of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) in advanced stage lung cancer patients.

Methods

Patients (n = 153) completed the WHOQOL-BREF and the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed and reliability and construct validity determined. MCIDs were estimated with two distribution-based methods (0.5 standard deviation (SD) and 1 standard error of measurement (1 SEM)).

Results

CFA confirmed WHOQOL-BREF domain structure. All domains demonstrated good internal consistency (α > 0.70), except Social Relationships (α = 0.57). Nineteen of the 24 WHOQOL-BREF items had correlations of ≥ 0.40 with their intended domain. Four items had higher correlations with a domain other than their intended domain. Moderate to strong correlations were observed for corresponding domains of the two questionnaires, except for the social domains (r = 0.07). For 0.5 SD, MCIDs ranged from 0.88 to 1.55, and for 1 SEM MCIDs ranged from 1.76 to 2.72.

Conclusions

The WHOQOL-BREF has satisfactory psychometric properties in patients with advanced stage lung cancer, whereas the observed MCIDs provide a method for interpretation of scores.

Health-related quality of life after first-line anti-cancer treatments for advanced non-small cell lung cancer in clinical practice

PURPOSE

This study attempted to compare changes in the Quality-of-Life (QoL) scores after three different first-line anti-cancer treatments for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in a real-world clinical setting.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From May 2011 to December 2013, we prospectively measured the QoL scores of patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC using the World Health Organization Quality-of-Life-Brief (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire. Each QoL measurement was matched by age and sex with one healthy referent from the National Health Interview Survey. Dynamic changes in patients' QoL scores and major determinants were repeatedly assessed by construction of a mixed-effects model to adjust for possible confounders.

RESULTS

A total of 336 patients with 577 QoL measurements related to first-line anti-cancer treatments were enrolled. Performance status was the most important predictor of QoL scores in all domains after controlling for potential confounders. With age- and sex-matched healthy subjects as the reference, patients treated with gemcitabine + platinum showed significantly lower scores in multiple physical and psychological domain items in the WHOQOL-BREF. However, pemetrexed + platinum and gefitinib/erlotinib affected patients' QoL scores in 'energy/fatigue' and 'daily activities' with smaller magnitudes, and the scores appeared to improve after 3-4 months of treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients receiving gemcitabine + platinum as first-line anti-cancer treatment for advanced NSCLC experienced relatively poor QoL scores throughout treatment course. Studies to develop a real-time computerized system automatically updating the mixed-effects model for QoL to facilitate participatory clinical decision making by physicians, patients, and their families merit further research.

Quality of life during 5 years after stereotactic radiotherapy in stage I non-small cell lung cancer

Purpose

To determine the long-term impact of stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) on the quality of life (QoL) of inoperable patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods and materials

From January 2006 to February 2008, 39 patients with pathologically confirmed T1-2N0M0 NSCLC were treated with SRT. QoL, overall survival and local tumor control were assessed. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ)-C30 and the lung cancer-specific questionnaire QLQ-LC13 were used to investigate changes in QoL. Assessments were done before treatment, at 3 weeks, every 2–3 months during the first two years, and then every 6 months until 5 years after the treatment or death or progressive disease. The median follow up was 38 months.

Results

During the 5 years after treatment with SRT for stage I NSCLC, the level of QoL was maintained: There was a slow decline (slope: −0.015) of the global health status over the 5 years (p < 0.0001). The physical functioning and the role functioning improved slowly (slope: 0.006 and 0.004, resp.) over the years and this was also significant (p < 0.0001). The emotional functioning (EF) improved significantly at 1 year compared to the baseline. Two years after the treatment dyspnea slowly increased (slope: 0.005, p = 0.006). The actuarial overall survival was 62% at 2 years and 31% at 5-years.

Conclusion

QoL was maintained 5 years after SRT for stage I NSCLC and EF improved significantly. Dyspnea slowly increased 2 years after the treatment.

Lung cancer in Malabar Cancer Center in Kerala--a descriptive analysis

The burden of lung cancer in terms of mortality is the highest among all types of cancers globally. The present study aimed to evaluate lifestyle related habits, clinico-pathological profile and treatment details of lung cancer patients who were registered at Malabar Cancer Centre (MCC), Kerala, during the calendar year 2010. A retrospective evaluation was made from medical records to gather data from 281 registered lung cancer cases in 241 males and 40 females, with a male to female ratio of 6.03: 1. Approximately 89% of the cases were above 50 years of age. Among males about 91% of the cases were smokers and 62% of them had a chronic smoking habit. Adenocarcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas, non-small cell carcinomas and small cell cancers accounted for 10.7, 13.9, 17.0 and 5.7% respectively. Out of 281 cases around 67% were diagnosed with distant metastasis and the remainder had regional lymph node involvement. However, no statistically significant difference was observed for secondary site of tumor according to gender. As majority of the cases reported at MCC were in an advanced stage of the disease, histology of the secondary site from supraclavicular lymph nodes or liver was taken for diagnosis. Initiation of population based screening for early detection of cancer, and primary and secondary prevention strategies for reducing the prevalence of tobacco consumption are high priorities to reduce the lung cancer burden in Kerala.

Predictors of the health-related quality of life of patients who are newly diagnosed with lung cancer in China

The purpose of this study was to explore the level and predictors of the health-related quality of life among patients who were newly diagnosed with lung cancer in China. A descriptive survey design was used to collect the data from 108 patients. The relationships among the variables were analyzed by using Pearson's correlation and multiple regression analyses. The results indicated that the patients in this sample had a poor quality of life in the physical, psychological, and environmental domains of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire. Their age, annual family income, social support, and three dimensions of the health locus of control (internal, external, and chance) correlated significantly with the global quality of life. The stepwise multiple regressions showed that only the internal locus of control was statistically significant in predicting the patients' quality of life. The results suggest that healthcare professionals should pay particular attention to demographic characteristics, such as age and family income, and personal characteristics, such as the health locus of control and social support, when treating this patient group.

Pain and quality of life with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND

Pain as a symptom may be underrecognized in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to explore the prevalence and intensity of pain, its location, how demographic and clinical variables may be related to pain, and how pain is associated with quality of life (QOL).

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, 154 patients with COPD answered the Brief Pain Inventory, Respiratory Quality of Life Questionnaire, and Quality of Life Scale, and performed spirometry.

RESULTS

Seventy-two percent of the patients indicated the location of pain on a body diagram. Lower lung function, higher score of pain intensity, and pain interference were associated with lower disease QOL. A higher score of pain interference was associated with lower global QOL. When controlling for disease QOL in the equation of global QOL, pain interference was no longer significant.

CONCLUSION

The experience of pain is related to disease QOL in patients with COPD.

Percepção de idosos com doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica sobre a qualidade de vida

Objetivou analisar a percepção de idosos com doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica sobre a qualidade de vida. Os dados foram coletados com 24 idosos aplicando o instrumento World Health Organization Quality of Life-100, orientado pelo conceito de qualidade de vida da Organização Mundial da Saúde, composto pelos domínios Físico, Psicológico, Nível de independência, Relações sociais e Religiosidade. A análise descritiva demonstrou média e desvio-padrão dos escores para tais domínios, respectivamente: 11,15±2,58, 13,94±1,65, 11,57±3,02, 14,02±2,03, 13,72±2,03 e 15,45±2,26. Os Domínios Físicos e Nível de Independência foram os mais influentes na avaliação negativa da qualidade de vida. A correlação demonstrou que os elementos mais influentes são: dor, energia, sono, mobilidade, atividades da vida cotidiana, dependência de medicação ou tratamento, e capacidade para o trabalho. O instrumento utilizado mostrou-se sensível ao objetivo pretendido, permitindo verificar consonância com outros estudos em relação às facetas que mais influenciam a qualidade de vida desta população.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and interstitial lung disease in patients with lung cancer

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Although lung cancer is frequently accompanied by COPD and interstitial lung disease (ILD), the precise coincidence of these diseases with lung cancer is not well understood. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of abnormal CT and spirometric findings suggestive of COPD or ILD in a population of patients with untreated lung cancer, and to estimate the lung cancer risk in this population.

METHODS

The study population consisted of 256 patients with untreated lung cancer and 947 subjects participating in a CT screening programme for lung cancer. Semi-quantitative analysis of low attenuation area (LAA), fibrosis and ground glass attenuation (GGA) on CT was performed by scoring. Gender- and age-matched subpopulations, with stratification by smoking status, were compared using the Mantel-Haenszel projection method.

RESULTS

Inter-observer consistency was excellent for LAA, but not as good for fibrosis or GGA scores. Pooled odds ratios for lung cancer risk using LAA, fibrosis, GGA scores and reduced FEV(1)/FVC and %VC were 3.63, 5.10, 2.71, 7.17 and 4.73, respectively (P < 0.0001 for all parameters). Multivariate regression analyses confirmed these results.

CONCLUSION

Abnormal CT and spirometric parameters suggestive of COPD and ILD were strong risk factors for lung cancer, even after adjusting for gender, age and smoking status.

Qualidade de vida de portadores de insuficiência cardíaca

OBJETIVO: Identificar o nível de qualidade de vida de portadores de insuficiência cardíaca; o grau de insuficiência cardíaca dos pacientes; a opinião dos portadores de insuficiência cardíaca quanto ao seu estado de saúde atual quanto comparada há um ano atrás. MÉTODOS: A amostra foi composta por 30 portadores de insuficiência cardíaca atendidos em ambulatório de um hospital geral e público do município de Taboão da Serra - SP. Para a coleta de dados foi utilizado o Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). RESULTADOS: Os resultados do estudo permitiram identificar o nível de qualidade de vida em diferentes dimensões: aspectos físicos (08); aspectos emocionais (09); capacidade funcional (22); estado geral da saúde (34); dor (39); aspectos sociais (40); vitalidade (47) e saúde mental (53). CONCLUSÃO: Esse estudo pode contribuir para a melhora da assistência de enfermagem prestada a portadores de insuficiência cardíaca na medida em que ressalta as limitações vivenciadas por esses indivíduos, bem como o impacto dessas limitações em seu padrão de vida normal.