Why Cancer Drug Trials Must Include Quality of Life Measures: The Missing Piece in Patient-Centered Care

21/09/2025 12 min
Why Cancer Drug Trials Must Include Quality of Life Measures: The Missing Piece in Patient-Centered Care

Listen "Why Cancer Drug Trials Must Include Quality of Life Measures: The Missing Piece in Patient-Centered Care"

Episode Synopsis

Cancer treatments are often judged by survival rates, but how do they impact patients’ daily lives? This episode explores why quality of life (QoL) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) must be included in cancer drug trials and how they change the way patients, doctors, and researchers evaluate therapies.In this episode, you’ll learn:What does quality of life and HRQoL mean in cancer careWhy survival alone is not enough to measure treatment successHow QoL instruments like the EORTC QLQ-C30 capture patient experiencesKey recommendations from The Lancet policy review on QoL in trialsChallenges in collecting and reporting QoL data consistentlyReal-world examples where QoL data influenced treatment choicesHow patients and caregivers can use QoL information to make better decisionsBy understanding the full impact of cancer treatments, patients can make informed choices that align with their personal values and daily needs.Blog Link: Why Cancer Drug Trials Must Include Quality of Life MeasuresSend us a textThank you for listening to The Onco Life Podcast, your trusted source for expert cancer information and patient-centered education. Author: Dr. CHRISTINA NG VAN TZE 📍 Visit us at oncolifecentre.com 📞 Call: +603-2242-2620 📧 Book a consultation or ask a question — we're here to support your journey.

More episodes of the podcast The Onco Life Podcast