Unmet Need of Objective Monitor to Evaluate Performance Status in Lung Cancer Patients
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37506/ijphrd.v11i3.1185Keywords:
KPS, ECOG, Monitor, Questionnaire, PEFR, SpO2.Abstract
Quality of life (QOL) of lung cancer patients can be improved by using modern technical tools. There is a
necessity to develop a system, which incorporates all the functions to evaluate severity of the disease and
critical condition of the patients. There exists a need of an objective monitor for monitoring performance
of lung cancer patients with parameters of heart rate variability (HRV), saturation of peripheral oxygen
(SpO2) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR). A questionnaire-based survey was carried out in cancer
physicians, surgeons and radiotherapists. Total 100 clinicians participated in this questionnaire, 31 medical
oncologists, 32 oncosurgeons and 37 radiation oncologists. The analysis of this survey showed that presently
ECOG (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group) scale was preferred to KPS (Karnofsky Performance Status)
scale (70% versus 30%) because of simplicity to remember. The popular tests to assess patient status were
Computed Tomography scan (68%), Positron Emission Tomography scan (32%) and bone scan (68%).
Other tests preferred among clinicians were SpO2 (45%), 2D Echocardiography (30%) and chest X-ray
(42%). But for evaluation of autonomic nervous system (ANS), e.g. HRV test, all the clinicians (100%)
showed interest but rejected the availability of test facilities. SpO2 and pulmonary function test (PFT/PEFR)
were also rated as mobile tools for assessing the performance. It is suggested that HRV, SpO2 and PFT/PEFR
could be an added value to improve the QOL in cancer patients.
