Data for: Assessment of quality of life (QoL) in cancer patients

Background: A cancer patient's quality of life (QoL) is the perception of their physical, functional, psychological, and social well-being as well as their mental and emotional state. QoL is one of the most important factors to consider when a person is being treated for cancer and during follow-up. The present study aimed to understand the status of QoL of cancer patients and determine the factors affecting it. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 210 cancer patients attending the oncology unit of a medical college, within a 4-month consecutive time period in 2022. Data were collected by using the Bengali version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer questionnaire. Results: The present study reported a high number of female cancer patients (67.6%). Breast cancer was more common among females (31.43%) while lung and upper respiratory tract cancer was among males (19.05). Most of the patients in the present study were diagnosed with cancer in the past year (86.19%). The functional scales' overall mean scores varied from 54.92 for physical functioning to 38.89 for social functioning. The highest symptom scale score was for financial issues (63.02), while the lowest was for diarrhea (33.01). The overall QoL of cancer patients in the present study was 47.98 which was 45.71 for males and 49.10 for females respectively. Conclusion: The overall QoL was poor in cancer patients in the present study compared to the developed countries. There was a low score for QoL for social and emotional function. Financial difficulty was the primary reason behind low QoL in the symptom scale. If the government supports cancer patients by providing subsidies for treatment and health insurance policies, cancer patients will benefit and QoL will improve.