Patient-reported outcomes in acute myeloid leukemia: Where are we now?

Outcomes for acute myeloid leukemia remain poor, and treatment decisions must consider not just quantity, but also quality of life (QOL). We conducted a systematic review of studies in patients with acute myeloid leukemia or high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome that incorporated patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures. PubMed and PsycINFO were searched for articles published from January 2000 through June 2016. Forty-one were relevant for our review with more published in recent years. There was considerable inter-study heterogeneity in which instruments were used, and many studies employed multiple (often overlapping) instruments. Longitudinal studies in particular suffered from both high attrition rates due to disease-related mortality as well as waning compliance with questionnaire completion. There remain significant challenges to incorporation of PROs into leukemia trials. Despite these limitations, however, well-implemented PROs can provide important information beyond objective response outcomes and highlight areas of focus for clinicians caring for patients and for future research endeavors.

Duke Scholars

Author Gary Herbert Lyman Medicine, Medical Oncology