Improving Health-Related Quality of Life in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients: Key Methodologies for Assessing Patient Reported Outcomes and Intervention Targets

Andrew M Moon,1,2 Michael D Kappelman,3 A Sidney Barritt IV,1 Donna M Evon,1 Hanna K Sanoff,2,4 Lynne I Wagner2,5 1Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; 2Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; 3Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; 4Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; 5Department of Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USACorrespondence: Andrew M Moon, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, 8009 Burnett Womack Bldg, CB#7584, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7584, USA, Tel +1-919-445-4742, Email [email protected]: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a complex cancer that generally arises in the context of cirrhosis. Patients with HCC have symptom burden and impact on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) resulting from underlying liver disease, HCC, and cancer treatments. Patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures may improve the management of patients with HCC by accurately capturing the patient perspective, informing prognosis, guiding treatment decisions, and supporting symptom based and palliative care. Furthermore, PRO use in HCC research could enhance patient-focused therapy development. This review focuses on the clinical and research assessment of PROs among patients with HCC.Keywords: liver cancer, cirrhosis, PROs, HRQOL