New MUHC research study looks at quality of life in terminally ill patients

McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) researcher Dr. Antonio Vigano has published a new study looking at the relationship between survival and quality of life in patients with terminal cancer.

Dr. Vigano, also an Assistant Professor at McGill University's Faculty of Medicine, and his colleagues demonstrate how quality of life assessments may provide valuable information about a patient's prognosis. His findings show that physical symptoms such as chronic nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath and weakness, rather than psychosocial factors such as anxiety or spiritual distress, are predictive of shorter survival times in terminal cancer patients. The findings are published in the September issue of Cancer and are currently available online.