# Current quality of life questionnaires are not relevant for assessing QOL issues in multiple myeloma patients in the era of modern therapies: results from a survey with myeloma patients and myeloma healthcare professionals

## TL;DR

This survey shows that current quality of life questionnaires are not fully relevant for multiple myeloma patients today, highlighting a mismatch between patient and healthcare professional perspectives.

## Contribution

The study reveals a significant discrepancy between patient and HCP views on quality of life issues in multiple myeloma.

## Key findings

- MM patients found only some QOL items relevant, mainly related to physical functioning, social/family wellbeing, pain, and fatigue.
- Healthcare professionals considered all QOL items relevant, contrasting with patient responses.
- The survey emphasizes the need for updated QOL questionnaires aligned with modern MM therapies and patient needs.

## Abstract

As multiple myeloma (MM) patients live longer, maintaining quality of life (QOL) has become an important treatment goal. However, the commonly used general quality of life questionnaires (QOLQs) were developed over 20 years ago. In this survey, 224 MM patients and 48 healthcare professionals (HCPs) were asked to grade the relevance and importance of QOL items from 9 validated, frequently used MM QOLQs. The results from this survey highlighted significant discrepancy between MM patients’ and HCPs’ perception of important and relevant QOL issues. Whilst MM HCPs found all QOL items relevant, the patients reported a proportion of these items being relevant. These were mainly related to physical functioning, social/family wellbeing, pain and fatigue. This real-world survey stressed the need for the development of an updated QOLQ that is relevant to patients and current MM therapies.