Impact of Iron-Deficiency Management on Quality of Life in Patients with Cancer: A Prospective Cohort Study (CAMARA Study).
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the impact of iron supplementation on quality of life and functional capacities in cancer patients with iron deficiency.
Results Summary
Iron supplementation significantly improved quality of life (measured by FACT-An scores) and functional capacities in cancer patients with iron deficiency, with notable improvements in physical and emotional well-being and fatigue. The effects were consistent across multiple evaluation time points.
Population
Patients with solid tumors diagnosed with functional or absolute iron deficiency.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
6 months
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
iron supplementation | increase | FACT-An scores | patients with solid tumors and iron deficiency | - | improved significantly | #1 |
iron supplementation | increase | physical well-being | patients with solid tumors and iron deficiency | - | improved | #2 |
iron supplementation | increase | emotional well-being | patients with solid tumors and iron deficiency | - | improved | #3 |
iron supplementation | increase | fatigue | patients with solid tumors and iron deficiency | - | improved | #4 |
iron supplementation | increase | performance on the majority of functional tests | patients with solid tumors and iron deficiency | - | significant improvement | #5 |
supplementation of ID | increase | QoL | patients with cancer | - | associated with an improvement | #6 |
supplementation of ID | increase | functional capacities | patients with cancer | - | associated with an improvement | #7 |
BACKGROUND: Iron deficiency (ID) is very common in patients with solid tumors and may cause symptoms such as fatigue. However, its impact on clinical outcomes is poorly described. The aim of this prospective monocentric cohort study was to evaluate the evolution of quality of life (QoL) of these patients after iron supplementation. METHODS: We included patients treated for a solid tumor, which were diagnosed with a functional (ferritin <800 ng/mL) or absolute (ferritin <300 ng/mL) ID (transferrin saturation coefficient <20%). The primary endpoint was patients' QoL evolution between baseline and intermediate visit, 15-30 days after initial intravenous iron supplementation, assessed by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Anemia (FACT-An) scale. Secondary endpoints were the same assessment between baseline, intermediate, and final visit at 6 months and the evolution of functional capacities. RESULTS: From 02/2014 to 12/2016, 248 patients were enrolled, of whom 186 were included in the analyses, including 140/186 (75.3%) with absolute ID. Anemia was detected in 141/174 (81.0%) patients at baseline. The FACT-An scores improved significantly between inclusion and intermediate visit (P = .001) and also between the 3 times of evaluation (P < .001). The most improved dimensions were those assessing physical, emotional well-being, and fatigue. Patients who performed the functional tests in all 3 phases had a significant improvement in performance on the majority of tests. CONCLUSION: The supplementation of ID was associated with an improvement of the QoL and functional capacities in patients with cancer. A randomized control trial is necessary to confirm our results. Our findings underline the importance of supportive care, including screening for ID, in oncology. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03625661.