Do Cancer Centres Routinely Assess Patients' Quality of Life- And if So, How and for What Purpose?: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Cancer Centre Network of the European Palliative Care Research Centre

Background/aims: Routinely assessing quality of life (QoL) of patients with cancer is crucial for improving patient-centred cancer care. Yet, we know little about whether or how cancer centres assess QoL from patients' perspectives in clinical practice or in research. This study aims to investigate the nature, frequency, timing, and purpose of the collection of QoL data in clinical practice and research in cancer care across cancer centres in Europe, Canada and Australia. Methods: Cross-sectional study of the European Palliative Care Research Centre's network of 27 cancer centres in Europe, Canada, and Australia. Centre representatives identified the most suitable persons within their cancer ward and palliative care unit (PCU) to complete the online survey, which includes questions, e.g., assessment and documentation of QoL and outcomes used. In June 2021, potential respondents were invited to participate in the study via e-mail with a link to LimeSurvey. For those who had not yet responded, a follow-up e-mail was sent in October 2021. Results: Until 27 Oct 2021, there were 16 respondents, of whom 7 work in a cancer ward, 8 in a PCU and 1 outside the hospital. Of the 7 cancer wards, only 1 routinely documents QoL for the majority of in- and outpatients for research and/or clinical practice. In 7 of the 8 PCUs, QoL is routinely measured and documented for the majority of cancer in- and outpatients for research and/or clinical practice. We found 7 different QoL outcome measures that are used for research (e.g., EORTCQLQ- C30), while 5 are used for clinical practice (e.g., Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale (IPOS)). Full results will be available at the 2022 EAPC congress. Conclusions: Based on preliminary results, PCUs seem to routinely assess and document patient's QoL more often than cancer wards. Different outcomes are also used to measure QoL. Findings suggest the need to make routine assessment of QoL a standard practice in cancer centres and to develop a minimum dataset to measure patients' QoL.