Bulletin
of the Multinational Center
of Quality of Life Research № 7-8

A.A. Novik, T.I. Ionova, S.A. Kalyadina, A.V. Kishtovich , A.S. Barchuk , A.V. Vazhenin, A.B. Yezhov, M.V. Kopp, V.M. Matrosov, F.F. Mufazamov, A.A. Miasnikov, T.V. Chagorova, M.V. Shomova, A.I.Arseniev, M.I. Afanasiev, A.E. Bannikova, E.S. Beklemisheva, N.V. Blomkvist, Y.K. Lebedeva, N.V. Malakhova, A.V.Pankova, I.V. Rykov, V.V. Chernova, E.A. Shipitzin, S. Wang, C. Cleeland

Symptom prevalence, severity and interference with quality of life in patients with advanced solid tumors and hematological malignancies: preliminary results of epidemiological symptom study.

National epidemiological symptom study conducted in Russia in 2005-2006.
The aims of the study were to describe the prevalence, severity and to monitor any changes of symptoms in patients with advanced cancer and hematological malignancies, to describe interference due to physical and psychological symptoms in patients with cancer, and to determine approaches to symptom treatment and to identify main obstacles to efficacy of symptom control in different cancer entities. 500 advanced cancer patients from 11 cities of Russian Federation were included in the study.
According to preliminary results, fatigue is the most prevalent and severe symptom in advanced cancer patients and hematological malignancies; 85% of patients experienced this symptom. Most of them reported it as moderate-to-severe.
The other severe and prevalent symptoms- distress, sadness, sleep disturbance, and pain - were present in 70% of patients. More than two thirds of patients reported their symptoms at moderate-to-severe levels, while 21% had 7 or more moderate-to-severe symptoms.
Symptom interference with daily functioning depended on their number and severity.
Mild symptoms first interfered with work, general activity and mood. Moderate-to-severe symptoms interfered with all aspects of patient's quality of life and their burden increased with the increase of symptom number.