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. 2022 May 24;148(8):1943–1953. doi: 10.1007/s00432-022-03975-6

Table 5.

Mean scores and standard deviation (SD) for the considered scale in the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and symptom scale rash, as well as absolute and relative frequencies for Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) considered for the analysis. Differences in mean scores and proportions, as well as 95% confidence intervals (CI) of the estimates, are reported for group comparison

Quality of life and symptom scales Group Aa Group Bb Group Cc Difference in mean scores
Between groups A and B Between groups A and C Between groups B and C
Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD Estimate 95% CI Estimate 95% CI Estimate 95% CI
Lower Upper Lower Upper Lower Upper
Global quality of life 57.1 21.4 68.8 22.8 57.5 24.6 − 11.7 − 19.19 − 4.21 − 0.4 − 7.56 6.76 11.3 6.47 16.13
Physical functioning 61.1 28.1 64.0 24.5 62.3 24.7 − 2.9 − 11.45 5.65 − 1.2 − 8.56 6.16 1.7 − 3.21 6.61
Fatigue 50.0 30.8 48.6 28.8 48.3 29.0 1.4 − 8.42 11.22 1.7 − 6.88 10.28 0.3 − 5.47 6.07
Nausea and vomiting 13.2 23.3 8.1 19.1 8.4 16.2 5.1 − 1.72 11.92 4.8 − 0.19 9.79 − 0.3 − 3.65 3.05
Pain 32.7 34.2 29.3 31.8 31.2 32.9 3.4 − 7.47 14.27 1.5 − 8.21 11.21 − 1.9 − 8.41 4.61
Appetite loss 29.9 37.8 20.7 30.4 18.5 28.3 9.2 − 1.73 20.13 11.4 2.79 20.01 2.2 − 3.52 7.92
Diarrhoea 33.3 37.0 7.7 17.2 13.7 25.7 25.6 17.39 33.80 19.6 11.31 27.89 − 6.0 − 11.07 − 0.93
Rash 25.0 32.6 11.8 27.9 12.0 26.7 13.2 2.92 23.48 13.0 4.59 21.41 − 0.2 − 5.82 5.42
Dyspnoea 31.7 26.1 35.6 26.1 43.2 27.2 − 3.9 − 13.05 5.25 − 11.5 − 19.86 − 3.14 − 7.6 − 13.23 − 1.97
PHQ-4 Group Aa Group Bb Group Cc Difference in proportions
Between groups A and B Between groups A and C Between groups B and C
N % N % N % Estimate 95% CI Estimate 95% CI Estimate 95% CI
Lower Upper Lower Upper Lower Upper
Depression 6 12.2 23 19.0 104 21.0 − 6.8 − 18.33 4.73 − 8.8 − 18.64 1.04 − 2.0 − 9.86 5.86
Anxiety 6 12.2 18 14.9 90 18.3 − 2.7 − 13.85 8.45 − 6.1 − 15.88 3.68 − 3.4 − 10.60 3.80

aGroup A: N = 49, patients with confirmed RTK mutation, TKI treatment, and stage IV cancer at data assessment

bGroup B: N = 121, patients with no-RTK mutation, non-TKI treatment, and stage IV cancer at diagnosis or metastases

cGroup C: N = 495, patients with no-RTK mutation, non-TKI treatment, and stage I-III cancer at diagnosis, no metastases