Improving Health-Related Quality of Life in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients: Key Methodologies for Assessing Patient Reported Outcomes and Intervention Targets.

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a complex cancer that generally arises in the context of cirrhosis. Patients with HCC have symptom burden and impact on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) resulting from underlying liver disease, HCC, and cancer treatments. Patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures may improve the management of patients with HCC by accurately capturing the patient perspective, informing prognosis, guiding treatment decisions, and supporting symptom based and palliative care. Furthermore, PRO use in HCC research could enhance patient-focused therapy development. This review focuses on the clinical and research assessment of PROs among patients with HCC.