Surveillance of Symptom Burden Using the Patient-Reported Outcome Version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events in Patients With Various Types of Cancers During Chemoradiation Therapy: Real-World Study

Sep 24, 2026

Uploaded by Patrick

Cancer care is frequently complicated by multiple treatment- and disease-related symptoms: over 90% of patients experience one or more symptoms that can reduce adherence to planned therapy and deteriorate health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Real-world symptom surveillance is challenging because symptom profiles vary across cancer types and are not fully clarified for operational monitoring. This study evaluates symptom burden across various cancers during chemotherapy or radiation therapy using PRO-CTCAE and examines associations with HRQoL measured by EORTC QLQ-C30.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time25 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background

Objective

Methods

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JMIR PUBLIC HEALTH AND SURVEILLANCE Kang et al Original Paper Surveillance of Symptom Burden Using the Patient-Reported Outcome Version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events in Patients With Various Types of Cancers During Chemoradiation Therapy: Real-World Study | Danbee Kang1,2, PhD; Sooyeon Kim 1,2, BSc; Hyunsoo Kim2, MPH; Mangyeong Lee1,2, PhD; Sun-Young Kong3,4,5, MD, PhD; Yoon Jung Chang6, MD, PhD; Sung Hoon Sim7, MD, PhD; Yeon-Joo Kim8, MD, PhD; Juhee Cho1,2, MA, PhD | | --- | | 1Department of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences & Technology, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
2Center for Clinical Epidemiology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea 3Targeted Therapy Branch and Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea 4Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea
5Cancer Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea 6Division of Cancer Control & Policy, National Cancer Control Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea 7Center for Breast Cancer, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea
8Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea
Corresponding Author:
Juhee Cho, MA, PhD
Department of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences & Technology Sungkyunkwan University
115 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu Seoul, 06351
Republic of Korea Phone: 82 2 3410 1448
Fax: 82 2 3410 6639
Email: [j](jcho@skku.edu)[cho@skku.edu](jcho@skku.edu)
Abstract | Background: Over 90% of patients with cancer experience 1 or more symptoms caused directly by cancer or its treatment. These symptoms negatively impact on the completion of planned treatment as well as patients’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL) . It often results in serious complications and even life-threatening outcomes. Thus, it has been recommended that surveillance of symptom burden should be performed and managed during cancer treatment. However, differences in symptom profiles in various patients with cancer have not been fully elucidated for use in performing surveillance in the real world. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the burden of symptoms in patients with various types of cancers during chemotherapy or radiation therapy using the PRO-CTCAE (Patient-Reported Outcome Version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events) and its impact on quality of life. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of patients undergoing outpatient-based chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or both at the National Cancer Center at Goyang or at the Samsung Medical Center in Seoul, Korea between December 2017 and January 2018. To evaluate cancer-specific symptom burden, we developed 10 subsets for using the PRO-CTCAE-Korean. To measure HRQoL, we used the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) . Participants answered questions prior to their clinic appointments on tablets. Multivariable linear regression was used to analyze symptoms based on cancer type and to evaluate the association between the PRO-CTCAE items and the EORTC QLQ-C30 summary score. [https://publichealth.jmir.org/2023/1/e44105](https://publichealth.jmir.org/2023/1/e44105) XSL• FO RenderX JMIR Public Health Surveill 2023 | vol. 9 | e44105 | p. 1 (page number not for citation purposes) JMIR PUBLIC HEALTH AND SURVEILLANCE Kang et al Results: The mean age (SD) of the patients was 55.0 (11.9) years, and 39.94%(540/1352) were male. Overall, symptoms in the gastrointestinal category were the most dominant in all cancers. Fatigue (1034/1352, 76.48%), decreased appetite (884/1352, 65.38%), and numbness and

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the study?

To evaluate symptom burden in patients with various cancer types during chemotherapy or radiation therapy using PRO-CTCAE, and to assess its impact on quality of life.

How were symptoms and HRQoL measured?

Symptoms were assessed with the PRO-CTCAE (including development of 10 cancer-specific subsets using the PRO-CTCAE-Korean), while HRQoL was measured with the EORTC QLQ-C30.

Which symptoms were most frequently reported overall?

Fatigue, decreased appetite, and numbness and tingling were the most frequently reported symptoms across cancers.

What relationship did the study find between PRO-CTCAE scores and HRQoL?

Worsening PRO-CTCAE scores were associated with poorer HRQoL, with examples including fatigue, poor concentration, dizziness, and other adverse outcomes related to quality-of-life domains.

Sep 24, 2026

Uploaded by Patrick