Health-related Quality of Life During the First 4 Years After Non-Muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer Diagnosis: Results of a Large Multicentre Prospective Cohort.

The health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) may be impaired due to the chronic and burdensome disease course, but longitudinal data are limited.

To evaluate HRQoL outcomes during the first 4 yr after NMIBC diagnosis, and to compare HRQoL across patient characteristics and with a normative population.

Patients with NMIBC (n = 1019) were included from the multicentre prospective cohort UroLife. Data were collected at 6 wk (baseline), and 3, 15, and 51 mo after diagnosis. Longitudinal reference data were obtained from an age- and sex-matched normative population (n = 490).

Cancer- and NMIBC-specific HRQoL outcomes (range 0-100) were evaluated by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-NMIBC24 questionnaires, respectively. Linear mixed modelling was used to analyse within-group changes and between-group differences.

The majority of HRQoL outcomes remained stable over time. Observed changes were only of small clinical relevance. Improvements were noted in insomnia, social functioning, and three NMIBC-specific symptoms, while minor deteriorations in appetite and diarrhoea lasted until 51 mo. HRQoL in some domains was worse for high-grade NMIBC, high European Association of Urology (EAU) risk group, initial Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) treatment, being female, and being younger (<65 yr); yet differences were few, small, and temporary. No differences were observed across recurrence status. Compared with a normative population, clinically relevant worse scores were observed for six of 15 outcomes, which mostly recovered at 51 mo, except for minor symptoms of appetite loss and diarrhoea.

No remarkable changes in HRQoL were observed during the first 4 yr after NMIBC diagnosis. Grade, EAU risk group, initial treatment, recurrence, sex, and age did not importantly affect HRQoL. HRQoL was largely comparable with that of the general population, especially after 4 yr.

Quality of life is not largely affected during the first 4 yr after non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer diagnosis.

European urology oncology. 2023 Nov 22 [Epub ahead of print]

Ivy Beeren, Nena E Klerks, Katja K Aben, Jorg R Oddens, J Alfred Witjes, Lambertus A Kiemeney, Alina Vrieling

Department for Health Evidence, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands., Department for Health Evidence, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Research and Development, Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organization, Utrecht, The Netherlands., Department of Urology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands., Department of Urology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands., Department for Health Evidence, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Urology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands., Department for Health Evidence, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: .