J Cancer Surviv. 2025 Jul 30. doi: 10.1007/s11764-025-01782-9. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Allostatic load (AL) significantly impacts patient outcomes. This study aimed to explore the association between AL levels and time to deterioration (TTD) of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.
METHODS: A prospective study (May 2017-September 2022) included 362 NSCLC patients from The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University. HRQoL was assessed using EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-LC13 questionnaires, and AL-related biomarkers were collected. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses evaluated the impact of AL on HRQoL TTD.
RESULTS: TTD events were most common in global health status (QL), physical functioning (PF), and dyspnea (LC-DY). Lower AL levels delayed TTD in emotional functioning (EF) (HR = 2.041, 95% CI: 1.404-2.969, P < 0.001), cognitive functioning (CF) (HR = 1.613, 95% CI: 1.082-2.403, P = 0.019), insomnia (SL) (HR = 1.553, 95% CI: 1.064-2.266, P = 0.022), constipation (CO) (HR = 2.114, 95% CI: 1.179-3.791, P = 0.012), and hemoptysis (LC-HA) (HR = 2.316, 95% CI: 1.037-5.172, P = 0.041). Multivariate analysis confirmed these findings, except for insomnia, which lost significance.
CONCLUSIONS: Lower AL levels delayed TTD in EF, CF, CO, and LC-HA, highlighting AL’s role in preserving HRQoL in NSCLC patients.
IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: HRQoL is critical for cancer survivors. This study underscores the importance of AL to improve HRQoL outcomes in NSCLC patients.
PMID:40736930 | DOI:10.1007/s11764-025-01782-9
