Quality of life of patients with lung cancer: A scoping review

Abstract Objective: To characterize scientific publications on the quality of life of people with lung cancer in order to explore current knowledge of the subject, with emphasis on assessment instruments and methodological aspects. Method: A scoping type literature review was performed. Articles were sought in the databases of the Virtual Health Library, in an integrative manner, with the descriptors: Quality of life and Lung Neoplasms, with no date of publication or language restrictions (n=138). The selection of articles was based on inclusion and exclusion criteria defined in the study proposal. Results: We included 18 publications published between 2006 and 2017, the majority (n = 10) of which had a cross-sectional design. Eight different instruments were used to evaluate the quality of life of patients with lung cancer, four of which were specific for people with cancer. There was a prevalence of the use of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Care Quality of Life Questionnaire - EORTC QLQ-C30 (n=8). Prospective studies (n=8) assessed quality of life before and after chemotherapy, physical therapy or pulmonary resection. The studies adopted different methodologies and provided conflicting results of quality of life. Cross-sectional studies with comparatively healthy subjects found an inferior quality of life for people with lung cancer. Conclusion: The scoping review contributed to the identification of the multiple evaluated instruments, both generic and specific. It found a lack of homogeneity in the methodological approaches of the studies. Further prospective studies with a specific instrument and methodological standardization to evaluate the quality of life of people with lung cancer are recommended.