How Doctors Talk to Patients Affects Their Quality of Life — New Global Leukemia Study

A landmark international study involving more than 2,260 leukaemia patients from 64 countries has found that the quality of communication between clinicians and patients is significantly associated with patients’ quality of life (QoL) — and that depression and social isolation are among the most powerful predictors of poor wellbeing.

What the Study Did

Researchers used an online questionnaire, open between August 2023 and January 2024, to gather patient-reported data on diagnosis, treatment, communication experiences, and QoL. Quality of life was measured using the HM-PRO, a validated tool designed specifically for people with blood cancers. Statistical analyses and machine learning models were used to identify the factors most strongly linked to QoL outcomes.

What They Found

Communication makes a difference. Patients who said their diagnosis was explained clearly, who were told about their condition sensitively, and who were meaningfully involved in treatment decisions consistently reported better QoL scores. Those who answered “yes, definitely” to these questions fared measurably better than those who said “no” or “only to some extent.”

Mental health and isolation are central. Across both QoL measures, depression and social isolation emerged as the strongest predictors of poor outcomes — outweighing disease type as a factor. Disease-related anxiety and fatigue also played a role.

Younger patients carry a disproportionate burden. Patients aged 18–25 reported the highest QoL burden of any age group, challenging assumptions that older cancer patients always fare worse. The disruption to work, education, and social life, alongside limited experience coping with serious illness, may partly explain this.

Acute leukaemia is harder on QoL than chronic forms. Patients with ALL and AML reported worse QoL scores than those with CLL or CML, though disease type explained only a small proportion of overall variation.

Gender and income disparities exist. Female patients reported worse outcomes than male patients. Those on lower incomes also fared significantly worse, pointing to the role of socioeconomic factors in patient wellbeing.

What This Means for Practice and Advocacy

The findings support a shift toward holistic, person-centred leukaemia care — one that treats psychological wellbeing as a core part of treatment, not an afterthought. Specific recommendations from the authors include:

• Routine screening for psychological distress as part of standard care
• Training for clinicians in patient-centred communication
• Peer support groups and counselling integrated into care pathways
• Advocacy organisations targeting underserved groups with equitable access to information and support
• Dedicated programmes for younger patients, who appear particularly vulnerable

A Note on Limitations

The study is cross-sectional, meaning it captures a snapshot in time and cannot establish cause and effect. Participants were recruited through patient advocacy networks, so findings may not fully represent all leukaemia patients — particularly those who are less engaged or digitally excluded. Clinical diagnoses were self-reported and not independently verified.

Read the full open-access article: Nier S, Poots AJ, Gunn S, et al. Relationships Between Clinician-Patient Communication and the Quality of Life of Patients With Leukaemia: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Global Study. Cancer Control. 2026. DOI: 10.1177/10732748261433287