A multicenter cross-section study of 115 terminal cancer patients in eight home-care units assessed the prognostic value of quality life scores, as measured by the Therapy Impact Questionaire (TIQ). The analysis of the questionaires completed by 100 patients revealed an association between survival and many of the scales: fatigue, gastrointestinal confesion weakness, and loss of appetite, an the overall number of symptoms reported by the patient. Adjusting for some possible confounding factors, only confusion (among the physical symptoms cognitive and global health status (among TIQ primary scales) showed independent prognostic value. As regards the latter two scales, median survival time was distructed differently for patients with no impairment of either (137 days), with impairment of one scale (50 days) and with impairment of both scales (17 days). The judgement expressed by the patient about subjective perception of general malaise and cognitive difficulties can give the clinician important prognostic information.
