Background: Quality of life (QOL) is an important component of evaluation in oncology. Usually, QOL is used in phase III studies to compare two treatments. The aim of this trial was to evaluate the impact of the disclosure of the diagnosis of cancer on QOL by using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer core Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ)-C30 questionnaire and the supplemental lung cancer-specific module QLQ-LC13.
Patients and methods: Patients hospitalised for exploration of an abnormal chest X-ray, with no previous history of cancer, a performance status < or =2, and able to fulfil the questionnaire were eligible. The patients answered the questionnaire two times: before (Q1) and after (Q2) the disclosure of the diagnosis.
Results: Seventy patients answered at Q1 and Q2. After the disclosure, some scores deteriorated: arm pain (P=0.009), physical functioning (P=0.01), role functioning (P=0.008), emotional functioning (P=0.0001) and social functioning (P=0.012), whereas the patients' own assessment of global QOL (item global QOL in functioning scales) did not show the same evolution.
Conclusion: Disclosure of the diagnosis had an impact on social and emotional QOL. Patients with lung cancer need psychological support at the beginning of their disease.