QUALITY-OF-LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH LOW-GRADE NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMA

Low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is an indolent form of the dise ase with a generally slow course of progression, Although still usuall y incurable, low-grade disease has shown responsiveness to some of the newer chemotherapeutic and nonchemotherapeutic treatment options. How ever since core remains elusive, and since many patients with low-grad e NHL may have few or even no symptoms initially, the decision about w hether or not to initiate treatment logically must include quality-of- life (QOL) issues. This paper summarizes clinical and diagnostic chara cteristics of low-grade NHL that have some bearing on QOL consideratio ns, Adverse effects of the more common treatment approaches are discus sed according to their QOL implications, illustrating the relevance of QOL to the clinical management of low-grade disease, Finally, data fr om an ongoing study using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT) measurement system are presented These data offer a basis for c omparing the QOL of patients with NHL to that of individuals with othe r solid tumors, and also illustrate the effects of chemotherapy on QOL .