Quality of life in breast cancer patients during chemotherapy and concurrent therapy with a mistletoe extract

Abstract 

Background

The effects of standardized aqueous mistletoe extracts on Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of tumor patients needs further evaluation.

Methods

In this non-interventional, prospective clinical investigation the longitudinal course of Quality of Life of 270 breast cancer patients during adjuvant chemotherapy and mistletoe therapy with abnobaVISCUM^® Mali was investigated. HRQoL was measured 4 times by self-assessment with the QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23 questionnaire of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC): at the beginning of mistletoe- and chemotherapy, 4 weeks later, at the end of the chemotherapy and 4 weeks after finishing chemotherapy. Secondary objectives were the tolerability and safety of mistletoe therapy in combination with chemotherapy under conditions of daily practice.

Results

After an initial deterioration the average range of all obtained QLQ-C30 function scales (n=262, 48.9–71.5) remained stable even at the last chemotherapy cycle and improved significantly (p<0.0001) to 66.9–80.7 4 weeks later, compared to the initial visit. Also the QLQ-BR23 function scales significantly improved (p<0.0001) 4 weeks later. The symptom scales of the QLQ-C30 remained stable under chemotherapy even at the final chemotherapy cycle and decreased from 16.2 to 44.1 at the initial visit to 11.2–29.9 (p<0.001) at the final visit. These results were comparable to the subgroup with initial visit before chemotherapy (n=114) in which rather stable function scales during chemotherapy (difference of the mean values: 9.6 to −3.7) and only little increase of symptoms (difference: 13.2 to −4.9) was measured. The tolerability of the therapy was judged by the physicians as good or very good for 91% of the patients and the efficacy was rated as good or very good for 94%. 89% of the patients reported about a good or very good benefit.

Conclusion

The overall results point to a relevant stabilisation of Health Related Quality of Life during various chemotherapy regimes, possibly due to a reduction of chemotherapy caused side effects with an excellent tolerability of the mistletoe therapy.

Keywords: Mistletoe, AbnobaVISCUM^®, Breast cancer, Complementary, Tolerability, Health Related Quality of Life, QLQ-C30