Quality of life, symptom burden and associated factors among lung cancer patients: baseline study of three public hospitals across sub- Saharan Africa

Abstract Background Cancer patients in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are diagnosed late partly due to community lack of knowledge about the disease, social and cultural factors, health system challenges, and inadequate health care worker knowledge. These delays in diagnosis as well as inadequate treatment options contribute to the high mortality from lung cancer in SSA. Quality of life (QoL) is an important outcome measure for cancer patients undergoing treatment. Objective To describe the quality of life among lung cancer patients in three teaching hospitals in SSA. Methods This is a prospective cross-sectional study of lung cancer patients at three teaching hospitals in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA-Kenya (BMC), Tanzania (MTRH) and South Africa (The Lung Laboratory Research and Intervention Unit Helen Joseph Hospital). Trained interviewers collected data on demographics, clinical information and performance status using the Eastern Cooperative Oncological Group Performance Scale (ECOG-PS). Patients’ QoL was assessed using the 30-item European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). Results A total of 210 lung cancer patients consented and were enrolled across the three sites. Global Health Status in this cohort is low, the median score was 41.7 (range: 0-100) and differed between sites. Wits Core patients had higher social functioning, while BMC and MTRH had higher financial difficulty scores. Poor ECOG-PS score (3-4) was associated with poorer Global QoL (GqoL) score (aOR = 2.9; 95% CI: 1.4 - 5.9), and patients with higher symptom burden had poorer GQoL. Conclusion The QoL among lung cancer patients in the three sites is low. Poor QOL in the study is associated with level of education, performance status, fatigue, pain, dyspnoea, insomnia, loss of appetite and constipation.