Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

Purpose: Due to its clinical course and often-late detection, many patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer (mPC) experience poor quality of life (QoL). This pilot project assessed real-world QoL in patients with mPC at different stages of treatment.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the following groups of patients with mPC: before initiation of first-line (1L) chemotherapy (no treatment); with partial response (PR) or stable disease (SD) upon receipt of ≥3 cycles of 1L nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine (nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine PR or SD); and with disease progression during ≥1L chemotherapy and not currently receiving nab-paclitaxel (≥1L PD). Eligible participants completed three QoL instruments, EORTC QLQ-C30, the pancreatic cancer module of EORTC QLQ-PAN26, and the EQ-5D, during their clinical visits at 14 clinics across the USA.

Results: Demographic characteristics were similar among groups (no treatment, n = 29; nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine PR or SD, n = 26; ≥1L PD, n = 17). Patients in the nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine PR or SD group had lower mean pain scores by EORTC-QLQ-C30 (27.6 vs 47.1; P = 0.02) and lower mean pancreatic pain scores by EORTC-QLQ-PAN26 (27.9 vs 45.4; P = 0.02) compared with the no treatment group. The groups did not differ significantly in QoL as measured by the EQ-5D.

Conclusions: Patients who experienced PR or SD with 1L nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine had improved general and pancreatic pain scores and no clinically meaningful deterioration in QoL compared with patients who had not yet initiated chemotherapy.