Quality of Life (QoL) of Glioblastoma Patients According to MGMT Methylation Status: Descriptive Analysis Using Real-World Data

OBJECTIVES: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary malignant brain tumor in adults. Due to poor prognosis, QoL has been an important consideration for management of GBM. MGMT methylation is typically associated with better prognosis. We aimed to compare the QoL of GBM patients based on their methylation status.

METHODS: Patients with GBM were enrolled in the ongoing XCELSIOR longitudinal, observational database (NCT03793088). QoL of patients with GBM was measured using EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaire on a weekly basis. Patients who completed at least 2 questionnaires were included. Longitudinal scores of each EQ-5D-5L dimension were assessed per patient from the index date of first received intervention. Analyses are based on data collected up to May 2024.

RESULTS: Of 145 patients with a primary GBM diagnosis and MGMT methylation status, 90 completed at least two questionnaires after index date. Within the cohort, 34 (38%) were methylated (M) and 56 (62%) unmethylated (UM). The median time from index date to completion of first questionnaire was 44 weeks, and median time interval between completion of first and second questionnaire was 1.6 weeks. The EQ-5D-5L health status scores of patients with or without MGMT methylation were similar: 70.1% versus 68.5%, respectively. The score differences in the EQ-5D-5L dimensions were also very similar and not statistically significant: Mobility: 1.90(M)–1.89(UM); Self-care 1.71(M)–1.68(UM); Usual activities: 2.21(M)–2.10(UM); Pain/Discomfort: 1.67(M)–1.62(UM); Anxiety/Depression: 1.91(M)–1.92(UM), where lower scores indicate better condition.

CONCLUSIONS: In our study, the EQ-5D-5L scores were similar between patients with methylated GBM and unmethylated GBM. The results, however, can be affected by survival bias that selects healthier patients with higher EQ-5D-5L scores. Future studies from this database will further inform our understanding of the correlation between treatments, survival, and QoL based on methylation status in GBM patients.