Author:
Barca-Hernando Maria,Muñoz-Martin Andres J.,Rios-Herranz Eduardo,Garcia-Escobar Ignacio,Beato Carmen,Font Carme,Oncala-Sibajas Estefania,Revuelta-Rodriguez Alfonso,Areses Maria Carmen,Rivas-Jimenez Victor,Ballaz-Quincoces Aitor,Moreno-Santos Maria Angeles,Lopez-Saez Juan-Bosco,Gallego-Gallego Iria,Elias-Hernandez Teresa,Asensio-Cruz Maria Isabel,Chasco-Eguilaz Leyre,Garcia-Gonzalez Gonzalo,Estevez-Garcia Purificacion,Marin-Barrera Lucia,Otero-Candelera Remedios,Lopez-Ruz Sergio,Lima-Alvarez Jorge,Sanchez-Diaz Jose Maria,Real-Dominguez Macarena,Borrego-Delgado Maria Carmen,Marin-Romero Samira,Jara-Palomares Luis
Abstract
Anemia is a common condition in cancer patients and is associated with a wide variety of symptoms that impair quality of life (QoL). However, exactly how anemia affects QoL in cancer patients is unclear because of the inconsistencies in its definition in previous reports. We aimed to examine the clinical impact of anemia on the QoL of cancer patients using specific questionnaires. We performed a post-hoc analysis of a multicenter, prospective, case-control study. We included patients with cancer with (cases) or without (controls) anemia. Participants completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life questionnaire version 3.0 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and Euro QoL 5-dimension 3-level (EQ–5D–3L) questionnaire. Statistically significant and clinically relevant differences in the global health status were examined. From 2015 to 2018, 365 patients were included (90 cases and 275 controls). We found minimally important differences in global health status according to the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire (case vs. controls: 45.6 vs. 58%, respectively; mean difference: −12.4, p < 0.001). Regarding symptoms, cancer patients with anemia had more pronounced symptoms in six out of nine scales in comparison with those without anemia. In conclusion, cancer patients with anemia had a worse QoL both clinically and statistically.