Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study presents a retrospective evaluation of patient, disease, and treatment features predicting long-term survival and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among patients who underwent surgery for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: Between January 2000 and June 2009, 586 patients underwent surgery at the Helsinki University Hospital. The 276 patients still alive in June 2011 received two validated quality of life questionnaires (QLQ): the generic 15D and the cancer-specific EORTC QLQ-C30 + QLQ-LC13. We used binary and linear regression analysis modeling to identify patient, disease, and treatment characteristics that predicted survival and long-term HRQoL. RESULTS: When taking into account patient, disease, and treatment characteristics, long-term survival was quite predictable (69.5% correct), but not long-term HRQoL (R (2) between 0.041 and 0.119). Advanced age at the time of surgery, male gender, comorbidity (measured with the Charlson comorbidity index), clinical and pathological stages II-IV, and postoperative infectious complications predicted a lower survival rate. Features associated with poorer long-term HRQoL (measured with the 15D) were comorbidity, postoperative complications, and the use of the video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) technique. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term HRQoL is only moderately predictable, while prediction of long-term survival is more reliable. Lower HRQoL is associated with comorbidities, complications, use of the VATS technique, and reduced pulmonary function, while adjuvant therapy is associated with higher HRQoL.