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Association of health-related quality of life with gender in patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia

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Abstract

Purpose

This analysis examined associations between gender and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) as they initiate therapy for CLL outside the clinical trial setting.

Methods

Baseline data were collected as part of Connect® CLL Registry, a prospective observational study initiated in community, academic, and government centers. Patient demographics and clinical characteristics were provided by clinicians. Patients reported HRQOL using the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), EQ-5D, and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Leukemia (FACT-Leu). Mean scores were analyzed, with statistical significance of differences determined by ANOVA. Multivariate analysis also considered age and line of therapy.

Results

Baseline HRQOL data were available for 1,140 patients: 710 (62 %) men and 430 (38 %) women from 161 centers. Patients were predominantly white (89 %) with mean age 69 ± 11 years. Women reported significantly worse global fatigue (P <0.0001), fatigue severity (P <0.0001), and fatigue-related interference (P = 0.0005) versus men (BFI). Pain/discomfort (P = 0.0077), usual activities (P = 0.0015), and anxiety/depression (P = 0.0117) were significantly worse in women than in men (EQ-5D). With women reporting a better social/family score (P = 0.0238) and men reporting a better physical score (P = 0.0002), the mean FACT-G total score did not differ by gender. However, the mean FACT-Leu total score was better among men versus women (P = 0.0223), primarily because the mean leukemia subscale score was significantly better among men (P <0.0001). Multivariate analysis qualitatively confirmed these findings.

Conclusions

Connect® CLL Registry results indicate that significant differences exist in certain HRQOL domains, as women reported greater levels of fatigue and worse functioning in physical domains.

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Acknowledgments

The Connect® CLL Registry and this analysis were financially sponsored by Celgene Corporation. The authors extend their appreciation to the investigators, clinic personnel, and patients who contributed the data to make this analysis possible. The authors also extend their appreciation to the following scientific steering committee members: Michael J. Keating and Thomas J. Kipps. Medical writing services were provided by Ronald van Olffen, PhD, of Excerpta Medica BV, funded by Celgene Corporation.

Conflict of interest

The authors had full control of all primary data and agree to allow the journal to review the data if requested. Farber, Flinn, Flowers, Grinblatt, Kay, Kozloff, Lamanna, Lerner, Pashos, Sharman, and Weiss are members of Celgene Corporation’s Board of Directors or advisory committees. Flinn received research funding from Celgene Corporation. Flowers is a consultant for and received funding from Celgene Corporation, Prescription Solutions, Seattle Genetics, and Genentech. Grinblatt received honoraria from and is a member of the speaker’s bureau for Celgene Corporation. Kay received research funding from Genentech, Gilead, Pharmacyclics, Celgene Corporation, and Hospira. Khan is employed and has equity ownership with Celgene Corporation. Kozloff is a consultant for Celgene Corporation. Sharman is a consultant for Celgene Corporation and Portola Pharmaceuticals and received honoraria from Calistoga and Pharmacyclics. Street, Sullivan, and Swern are employed and have equity ownership with Celgene Corporation. Weiss is a consultant for Celgene Corporation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. United BioSource Corporation, 430 Bedford Street, Suite 300, Lexington, MA, 02420, USA

    Chris L. Pashos & Gale Harding

  2. Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Christopher R. Flowers

  3. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    Neil E. Kay

  4. Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Mark Weiss

  5. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

    Nicole Lamanna

  6. Hematology Oncology Associates of Northern New Jersey, Morristown, NJ, USA

    Charles Farber

  7. MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Susan Lerner

  8. US Oncology, Springfield, OR, USA

    Jeff Sharman

  9. Northshore University Health System, Evanston, IL, USA

    David Grinblatt

  10. Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville, TN, USA

    Ian W. Flinn

  11. Ingalls Cancer Research Center, Chicago, IL, USA

    Mark Kozloff

  12. Celgene Corporation, Summit, NJ, USA

    Arlene S. Swern, Thomas K. Street, Kristen A. Sullivan & Zeba M. Khan

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  1. Chris L. Pashos
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chris L. Pashos.

Additional information

Aspects of an earlier version of the research in this paper were presented at the MASCC/ISOO 2012 International Symposium on Supportive Care in Cancer in New York, NY, USA on June 28–30, 2012.

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Pashos, C.L., Flowers, C.R., Kay, N.E. et al. Association of health-related quality of life with gender in patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Support Care Cancer 21, 2853–2860 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-013-1854-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-013-1854-z

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