Predictive factors for well-being in advanced cancer patients referred for palliative radiotherapy

Aim: Well-being falls within a broad category of quality of life indicators and encompasses both physical and emotional factors. Identification of the most important factors affecting overall well-being may allow health care practitioners to target these symptoms and improve patients' quality of life. The purpose of this study was to determine factors most predictive of well-being in advanced cancer patients.

Materials and methods: Patients referred to the Rapid Response Radiotherapy Program completed the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) at consultation. ESAS scores and demographics were analysed for their predictive ability for well-being via regression analysis of the raw and categorical scores.

Results: In total, 1439 ESAS assessments were analysed; the median age was 69 years (range 21-95). The most common primary cancers were of the lung (36%), breast (21%) and prostate (18%). Greater distress in all ESAS items, lower Karnofsky performance status (KPS) and referral for bone metastases significantly predicted for worse well-being (all P < 0.0001). However, referral for brain metastases predicted for better well-being. In multivariate analysis, the most predictive factors for worse well-being were lower KPS (P = 0.003) and greater distress in drowsiness (P = 0.01), pain (P < 0.0001), fatigue (P < 0.0001), depression (P < 0.0001) and appetite loss (P < 0.0001). Repeated analyses with categorical scores led to similar results.

Conclusion: Greater distress in physical and emotional symptoms assessed by ESAS contributes significantly to poorer well-being. Management for patients with advanced cancer should be directed towards these symptoms, as they form the basis for well-being. Although emotional symptoms may be scored lower than physical symptoms by patients, both significantly affect well-being.