Key clinical point: Overall, fatigue, frustration, and fear were the most prevalent experiences across all disease stages; abdominal pain and skin-related issues also were frequently reported by patients with stage C HCC.
Major finding: All participants reported fatigue, and 21 of 25 discussed it without prompting; the mean disturbance rating was 8.2. Abdominal pain was the most disturbing symptom, reported by 14 participants with a mean disturbance rating of 9.0.
Study details: The data come from interviews with 25 adults with hepatocellular carcinoma living in the United States; 68% were men, the median age was 63 years. Of these, 12% had stage A liver cancer, 32% had stage B, and 56% had stage C.
Disclosures: The study was funded by AstraZeneca; the lead author and several coauthors are employees of AstraZeneca and own shares in the company.
Source: Patel N et al. Qual Life Res. 2021 Jun 11. doi: 10.1007/s11136-021-02903-4.