What do we mean by Quality of Life?
We use the term ‘quality of life’ in a broad but health-related sense to refer to the effects of disease and treatment as perceived and reported by the people affected by disease or disability themselves – in the case of cancer research, patients, their families and carers. To emphasise the focus on health, we normally prefer to use the term health-related quality of life (HRQoL).
A person’s HRQoL is influenced by their lived experience of illness across a broad range of dimensions. These dimensions may include: symptoms of disease and side-effects from its treatment; a person’s physical, role, psychological, social, sexual and cognitive functioning; satisfaction with care and unmet needs for information or support services; financial demands; and spiritual wellbeing.
Quality of Life and cancer
Cancer can affect a person in many ways. The diagnosis may cause fear, anxiety and depression. Psychological distress, the symptoms of cancer and side effects from its treatment can all impact negatively on well-being and affect everyday roles and activities. On the other hand, a person may feel that the experience of cancer strengthens their relationships and gives them new and rewarding perspectives on life.
The need to balance the benefits and disadvantages of cancer treatments provides a compelling reason for incorporating HRQoL into the testing of new treatments. PoCoG is committed to developing collaboration between psycho-social researchers and clinical trials groups to more effectively take patients’ perceptions into account.