Quality of life measurement in the palliative management of advanced cancer

A 4-week quality of life (QOL) study was conducted in 157 consecutive advan ced cancer patients to compare five QOL measures and to assess changes in Q OL during the course of the study. The study patients were representative o f the advanced cancer population in the USA, and were similar to the advanc ed cancer population with respect to age and gender. Global QOL measures ap pear to be as effective as multidimensional measures in assessing QOL in pa tients with advanced cancer. Generally, QOL was rated as satisfactory and d id not change markedly during the study period.