Health-related quality of life in patients with anaplastic astrocytoma during treatment with temozolomide

One of the objectives of this phase II study was to determine whether temoz olomide (TMZ) improved the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of patient s with recurrent anaplastic astrocytoma (AA). HRQL was assessed at baseline (pretreatment) and every 4 weeks at each treatment cycle using the Europea n Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questio nnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) (version 2.0) and the Brain Cancer Module (BCM20). C hanges from baseline in the scores of seven preselected HRQL domains (role and social functioning, global QL, visual disorder, motor dysfunction, comm unication deficit and drowsiness) were determined at 6 months as well as pr ior to, and at the time of. disease progression. The significance of the ch anges was assessed by calculating statistical significance, effect sizes an d the proportions of patients with improvement in their HRQL scores tchange s of greater than or equal to 10 points). Alter 6 months of treatment, pati ents who were free of progression of disease reported either an improvement or maintenance of all the preselected HRQL domains scores. Patients with d isease progression by 6 months usually experienced improvement in HRQL befo re progression, but there was a sharp decline in most of the preselected do mains at progression. We conclude that treatment of recurrent AA with temoz olomide is associated with significant HRQL benefits. (C) 2000 Elsevier Sci ence Ltd. All rights reserved.