A Cross-sectional Study to Understand Quality of Life in Cases with Hematological Malignancy

Abstract Background: Malignancy is associated with significant psychosocial morbidity. Almost every cancer patient experiences psychosocial problems of one kind or another. Hematological malignancies are cancers that originate from blood-forming tissues and the cells of the immune system. These cancers are frequently linked with different kinds of mental health issues. Since the evolution of the concept of quality of life (QoL) in malignancy, there have been many studies evaluating the QoL in specific types of hematological malignancies and specific treatment modalities; however, there are very few studies assessing the QoL in patients across all hematological malignancies. Aim and Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the QoL in cases with hematological malignancy at a tertiary care hematology center. Material and Methods: This study was carried out at a large urban tertiary care center between January 01, 2012 and June 30, 2013, which had an oncology department as a sub-specialty. After informed consent, patients underwent Mini–mental State Examination, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL questionnaire (EORTC QLQ C-30) (version - 3). Both sociodemographic and clinical variables were obtained across different hematological malignancies, and appropriate statistics were used to understand significance and correlations. Results: The study highlighted the fact that patients with hematological malignancy had an adverse impact on their QoL. A significant number of patients suffered from various symptoms/problems and had anxiety and depressive symptoms across various hematological malignancies. Social functioning was the most common problem reported on functional subscales. Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, and multiple myeloma reported a relatively poorer global health status/QoL. Conclusion: One of the limitations of this study was being cross-sectional in nature, and future more longitudinal studies in various stages of illness and treatment have been recommended.