Authors: Madhu Jolam, Saiteja Munigala, Raghavaiah V Kode, Satyanarayana SV Padi*
DOI: DOI.ORG/10.59551/IJHMP/25832069/2026.7.1.148
Background: The majority of cancer survivors’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important indicator of human satisfaction and well-being and is hampered by cancer and the serious toxic effects of therapy. Assessment of HRQoL is a critical component of cancer therapy as it contributes to enhanced patient outcomes and overall well-being.
Methodology: A prospective cross-sectional observational study was conducted for six months in cancer survivors attending a tertiary care cancer hospital in India. Patient particulars and cancer types were collected from patient records. HRQoL was assessed using the validated EQ-5D-5L questionnaire and EQ-VAS scale. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis.
Results: Among 245 cancer patients’ data analyzed, 68.9% were females, and the majority belonged to the 51–60 years age group (27.3%). Breast cancer was the most prevalent malignancy (35.5%), followed by tongue cancer (13.8%). In the EQ-5D-5L assessment, the majority of patients reported no problem (Level 1) in mobility (87.3%), self-care (83.6%), usual activities (91.4%), and anxiety/depression (81.6%). In the pain/discomfort dimension, 28.5% patients had no problem (Level 1); however, more than half of the patients (58.3%) experienced a slight problem (Level 2). Few patients had a slight problem (Level 2) in the other four dimensions. A relatively smaller number of patients reported moderate (Level 3) to severe (Level 4) problems, and none of them had an extreme problem (Level 5) in any dimension. The mean EQ-5D index and EQ-VAS scores were 0.88 and 87.04, respectively, indicating good functional status.
Conclusion: The majority of the cancer patients had pain/discomfort issues, and a few patients had slight problems with mobility, self-care, usual activities, and anxiety/depression. The study demonstrated relatively functional independence with satisfactory HRQoL except for pain/discomfort. Periodic HRQoL assessment improves patient outcomes and ensures support for evidence-based oncology care.
Keywords: Cancer, EQ-5D-5L, EQ-VAS Scale, HRQoL, Pain/Discomfort, Quality of Life.