HRQoL During PRRT in Patients With NETs

The inclusion criteria for PRRT were tumour somatostatin receptor expression higher than that in the normal liver found on somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (Krenning score 3 and 4), or on 68Ga-DOTATOC positron emission tomography (PET), and sufficient bone marrow, liver and kidney function. DOTATATE was labelled in house with 177Lu (IDB Holland BV, Noord Brabant, Netherlands). Up to nine cycles were given, yet a majority of patients received four cycles of PRRT.

The patients' medical records were reviewed regarding functional status (functioning versus non-functioning tumours), gender, age at diagnosis and at 1st PRRT, marital and employment status, PRRT cycles received, previous treatments and body mass index (BMI).

HRQoL was assessed using the questionnaires for cancer in general, EORTC QLQ-C30, and the gastrointestinal NET-specifically EORTC QLQ-GINET21 at every cycle.

From a large random sample (n=4,910) of the Swedish adult population, a reference population was extracted. They all had chronical diseases (diabetes, cardiac, respiratory, renal or other specified conditions) and were age and gender matched. The reference population completed only the QLQ-C30 questionnaire.

In order to investigate how HRQoL developed during the eight years after PRRT, the questionnaires were sent to 58 patients.