Quality of life and cancer worry in a follow-up cohort of patients with asymptomatic monoclonal gammopathies.

Abstract

8049 Background: Monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS) and smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) are monoclonal gammopathies that precede multiple myeloma (MM). Although considered asymptomatic, patients diagnosed with these conditions are at greatly increased risk of developing MM. There is currently limited to no information on quality of life (QOL) or cancer worry/anxiety burden for patients with MGUS and SMM. Methods: We implemented a longitudinal QOL and cancer-related worry assessment in an observational cohort study of MGUS and SMM patients at MD Anderson Cancer Center (expected total enrollment of N = 200). Questionnaires included the QLQ-C30 cancer QOL tool and the MY20 myeloma-specific module, as well as questions to measure cancer worry. In this preliminary data analysis, a total of 46 patients completed the baseline questionnaires (MGUS = 17; SMM = 29). Results: Overall, individuals with MGUS have a worse QOL compared to SMM patients with MGUS patients reporting a > 12 point lower Global QOL score (71.6 vs 83.9; P = 0.035). Significant differences were also observed for Physical Functioning (P = 0.012), Nausea/Vomiting (P = 0.045), and Pain (P = 0.027). For myeloma-specific QOL and symptoms, MGUS patients again reported higher levels of Back Pain (P = 0.017), Burning/Sore Eyes (P = 0.021), Restlessness/Agitation (P = 0.026), and Tingling in Hands/Feet (P = 0.031) compared to SMM patients. This increase in reported QOL burden corresponded to MGUS patients less feeling in control of their MM risk compared to SMM patients (P = 0.0038). Conclusions: Patients with MGUS self-reported a high QOL burden that was often greater than SMM patients and more closely in line with MM-specific or overall cancer reference values. Further, a sense of loss of control of their MM risk is heightened in MGUS patients. Together, even though MGUS is considered clinically asymptomatic, patients diagnosed with this condition are experiencing reduced QOL is impacting their overall well-being. These results suggest potential opportunities for interventional strategies to improve the lives of patients with monoclonal gammopathies. This work was supported in part by MD Anderson’s Cancer Center Support Grant P30 CA016672.