Importance of Quality of Life in Patients with Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer

The therapeutic options for patients with advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are palliative. Therefore, the quality of life in oncology is considered as an endpoint in clinical trials, and several scales have been accepted for its measurement in parallel with other clinical determinations. However, its use in clinical practice is hindered by various obstacles that need to be overcome. In this article we examine the concept of the quality of life in patients with NSCLC, as well as giving an evaluation and interpretation of the results of various clinical trials. We describe the new technological methods used in daily clinical practice to measure the quality of life.