Predictors of health-related quality of life in Korean prostate cancer patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy

- Korean men with prostate cancer receiving androgen deprivation therapy revealed low HRQOL levels.
- Depression, fatigue, and comorbidity were significantly associated with worse HRQOL.
- To improve these patients' HRQOL, depression and fatigue should be targeted and comorbidity managed.

PurposeWe aimed to examine the level of psychological distress, fatigue, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and identify HRQOL predictors in men with prostate cancer receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT).MethodsUsing a cross-sectional design, we recruited 161 men with prostate cancer receiving ADT (mean age, 73 years) at two university-based hospitals in South Korea. Participants completed a self-reported questionnaire. Measures included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) subscale, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Prostate (FACT-P).ResultsThe mean scores were 3.3 (SD = 2.8) for anxiety with a prevalence of 8.9%, 5.7 (SD = 3.8) for depression with a prevalence of 25.5%, and 30.3 (SD = 7.4) for fatigue with a prevalence of 15.6%. The five FACT-P subscale means were 23.9 (SD = 4.3) for physical well-being, 15.4 (SD = 6.4) for social well-being, 18.5 (SD = 4.3) for emotional well-being, 17.3 (SD = 5.6) for functional well-being, and 30.3 (SD = 7.4) for the prostate cancer-specific subscale. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that depression, which was inversely associated with all FACT-P subscales, was the strongest predictor of worse HRQOL. Fatigue and comorbid conditions were also associated with the HRQOL of multiple domains.ConclusionThis study suggests that intervention aimed at improving HRQOL of men receiving ADT should include depression, fatigue, and comorbidity management.