Table 1.
Descriptive statistics on demographics and clinical data (n=42)
| Number of patients (%) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gender distribution | ||||
| Male | 23 (54.8) | |||
| Female | 19 (45.2) | |||
| Income groups* (USD/month) | ||||
| <25.17 | 1 (2.4) | |||
| 25.17-75.22 | 23 (54.8) | |||
| 75.23-125.52 | 10 (23.8) | |||
| 125.53-188.45 | 6 (14.3) | |||
| 188.46-251.37 | 2 (4.8) | |||
| Education | ||||
| Illiterate | 5 (11.9) | |||
| Primary-school certificate | 17 (40.5) | |||
| Middle-school certificate | 8 (19.0) | |||
| High-school certificate | 4 (9.5) | |||
| Graduate and above | 8 (19.0) | |||
| Marital status | ||||
| Married and living with a spouse | 36 (85.7) | |||
| Widow | 5 (11.9) | |||
| Widower | 1 (2.4) | |||
| Treatment received | ||||
| Multimodal | 11 (26.2) | |||
| Chemotherapy | 22 (52.4) | |||
| Radiotherapy | 3 (7.1) | |||
| None | 6 (14.3) | |||
| Comorbidities | ||||
| None | 23 (54.76) | |||
| Diabetes mellitus | 4 (9.52) | |||
| Hypertension | 5 (11.9) | |||
| Ischemic heart disease | 2 (4.76) | |||
| COPD | 2 (4.76) | |||
| Hypothyroidism | 1 (2.38) | |||
| Asthma | 1 (2.38) | |||
| Others | 2 (4.76) | |||
| Multiple | 2 (4.76) | |||
| ECOG score | ||||
| 0 | 0 (0.00) | |||
| 1 | 9 (21.4) | |||
| 2 | 10 (23.8) | |||
| 3 | 15 (35.7) | |||
| 4 | 8 (19.0) | |||
| ESAS items | None (0) (%) | Mild (1-3) (%) | Moderate (4-6) (%) | Severe (7-10) (%) |
| Pain | 11 (26.2 ) | 10 (23.81) | 13 (30.95) | 8 (19.05) |
| Fatigue | 0 (0.0) | 12 (28.57) | 17 (40.48) | 13 (30.95) |
| Nausea | 28 (66.67) | 14 (33.33) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) |
| Depression | 28 (66.67) | 12 (28.57) | 1 (2.38) | 1 (2.38) |
| Anxiety | 14 (33.33) | 13 (30.95) | 14 (33.33) | 1 (2.38) |
| Drowsiness | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) |
| Appetite | 0 (0.0) | 5 (11.90 ) | 19 (45.24 ) | 18 (42.86) |
| Well-being | 0 (0.0) | 7 (16.67) | 23 (54.76) | 12 (28.57) |
| Dyspnea | 0 (0.0) | 12 (28.57) | 9 (21.43) | 9 (21.43) |
| Dyspnea scoring in CDS | ||||
| Items | Minimum | Maximum | Mean | SD |
| Factor 1 (effort) | 0.00 | 17.00 | 4.36 | 4.33 |
| Factor 2 (anxiety) | 0.00 | 12.00 | 1.40 | 2.36 |
| Factor 3 (discomfort) | 0.00 | 11.00 | 1.81 | 2.41 |
| Total score | 0.00 | 40.00 | 7.57 | 8.53 |
| QoL scores in EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL | ||||
| Items | Mean | SD | ||
| Overall QoL (higher values indicating a higher QoL) | 44.44 | 25.94 | ||
| Function scales (higher values indicating better functioning) | ||||
| Physical functioning | 38.41 | 29.94 | ||
| Emotional functioning | 68.47 | 17.0 | ||
| Symptom scales (higher values indicating greater presence) | ||||
| Dyspnea | 42.06 | 36.85 | ||
| Pain | 50.79 | 28.02 | ||
| Insomnia | 38.09 | 29.96 | ||
| Fatigue | 64.02 | 22.88 | ||
| Appetite loss | 48.41 | 25.72 | ||
| Nausea/vomiting | 3.98 | 7.19 | ||
| Constipation | 18.25 | 26.75 | ||
*According to the Kuppuswamy’s socioeconomic status scale with updated income range. QoL: Quality of life, EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL: European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL Core 15 Palliative, SD: Standard deviation, CDS: Cancer Dyspnea Scale, ESAS: Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale, ECOG: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group