Real-world (RW) health-related quality of life (QoL) in patients (pts) with follicular lymphoma (FL): Comparisons by line of therapy (LOT) and region (Europe vs United States (US))

A key outcome in the treatment (tx) of FL is pts’ QoL. Limited RW evidence exists and we aimed to assess QoL across countries and by lines of therapy (LOT). RW data were drawn from the Adelphi FL Disease Specific Programme™ (DSP), a point-in-time survey of haematologists, haem-oncologists, medical oncologists and their FL pts conducted in France (FR), Germany (DE), Italy (IT), Spain (SP), the United Kingdom (UK) [EU] and the US in Jun 2021-Jan 2022. Pts completed a pt self-completion (PSC) form capturing demographics and QoL data using pt-reported outcome (PRO) instruments including the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30). Bivariate pairwise analysis was conducted to review QoL across LOT (1st line [1L] vs 2nd line [2L] vs 3rd line [3L]) and region (EU vs US). Comparisons with p<0.05 were included. Data analysis was conducted on 401 pts with FL who completed a PSC (FR n=41, DE n=120, IT n=42, SP n=83, UK n=28, US n=87). Mean age was 66 years, 58% were male and 28% were 3L+. Physical, role and social functioning, as well as fatigue, pain and dyspnoea symptoms were significantly worse as LOT increased. Insomnia was worse for 2L pts compared to 1L, and diarrhoea was worse for 3L+ pts compared to 1L and 2L. Mean global health status/QoL (50.1 vs 57.61), physical (69.4 vs 79.1), role (58.9 vs 76.1), emotional (63.3 vs 79.4), cognitive (72.3 vs 80.8), social functioning scores (62.9 vs 76.3) and financial difficulties (21.2 vs 14.5) were worse in EU vs US, as were mean fatigue (43.1 vs 32.7), nausea and vomiting (18.8 vs 13.2), pain (29.7 vs 21.7), dyspnoea (28.6 vs 16.9), insomnia (36.8 vs 20.2), appetite loss (34.7 vs 27.5) and constipation (17.6 vs 11.9) scores. Pts at later lines had significantly worse scores in some PROs than those on earlier LOT. EU pts had significantly worse functioning and higher symptom burden than in the US, specifically at later lines, but this analysis did not control for individual pt characteristics and tx. These results highlight the need for novel tx for these pts.