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Koller M, Shamieh O, Hjermstad MJ, Hornslien K, Young T, Chalk T, Ioannidis G, Harle A, Johnson CD, Tomaszewski KA, Serpentini S, Pinto M, van der Weijst L, Janssens A, Morag O, Chie WC, Arraras JI, Pompili C, Jungraithmayr W, Hechtner M, Katsochi D, Müller K, Gräfenstein L, Schulz C, Bottomley A. Psychometric properties of the updated EORTC module for assessing quality of life in patients with lung cancer (QLQ-LC29): an international, observational field study. Lancet Oncol 2020; 21:723-732. [PMID: 32213338 DOI: 10.1016/s1470-2045(20)30093-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire-Lung Cancer 13 (QLQ-LC13) assesses quality of life (QOL) in patients with lung cancer and was the first EORTC module developed for use in international clinical trials. Since its publication in 1994, major treatment advances with possible effects on QOL have occurred. These changes called for an update of the module and its international psychometric validation. We aimed to investigate the scale structure and psychometric properties of the updated lung cancer module, QLQ-LC29, in patients with lung cancer. METHODS This international, observational field study was done in 19 hospitals across 12 countries. Patients aged older than 18 years with a confirmed diagnosis of lung cancer and no other previous primary tumour, and who were mentally fit with sufficient language skills to understand and complete the questionnaire were included. Patients were asked during a hospital visit to fill in the paper versions of the core questionnaire EORTC QLQ-C30 plus QLQ-LC29, and investigators selected half of these patients to complete the questionnaire again 2-4 weeks later. Our primary aim was to assess the scale structure and psychometric properties of EORTC QLQ-LC29. We analysed scale structure using confirmatory factor analysis; reliability using Cronbach's α value (internal consistency) and intra-class coefficient (test-retest reliability); sensitivity using independent t tests stratified by Karnofsky performance status; and responsiveness to change over time by ANOVA. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02745691. FINDINGS Between April 12, 2016, and Sept 26, 2018, 523 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of either non-small-cell lung cancer (n=442) or small-cell lung cancer (n=81) were recruited. Confirmatory factor analysis provided a solution composed of five multi-item scales (coughing, shortness of breath, fear of progression, hair problems, and surgery-related symptoms) plus 15 single symptom or side-effect items: χ2=370·233, root mean square error of approximation=0·075, and comparative-fit index=0·901. Cronbach's α for internal consistencies of all multi-item scales were above the threshold of 0·70. Intra-class coefficients for test-retest reliabilities ranged between 0·82 and 0·97. Three (shortness of breath, fear of progression, and hair problems) of the five multi-item scales showed responsiveness to change over time (p values <0·05), as did nine of 15 single symptom items. Four (coughing, shortness of breath, fear of progression, and surgery-related symptoms) of the five multi-item scales and ten of the 15 single symptom items were sensitive to known group differences (ie, lower vs higher Karnofsky performance status). INTERPRETATION Results determined the psychometric properties of the updated lung cancer module, which is ready for use in international clinical studies. FUNDING EORTC Quality of Life Group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Koller
- Center for Clinical Studies, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Omar Shamieh
- Department of Palliative Care, King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman, Jordan
| | - Marianne J Hjermstad
- Regional Advisory Unit for Palliative Care and European Palliative Care Research Centre, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Teresa Young
- East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, London, UK
| | - Tara Chalk
- East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, London, UK
| | | | | | | | - Krzysztof A Tomaszewski
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Krakow University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Samantha Serpentini
- Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS Comprehensive Cancer Center, Padova, Italy
| | - Monica Pinto
- Rehabilitation Medicine Unit, Department of Supportive Care, Istituto Nazionale Tumori - IRCCS- Fondazione G Pascale, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Annelies Janssens
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium
| | - Ofir Morag
- Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Wei-Chu Chie
- Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine and Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Juan I Arraras
- Oncology Departments, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Cecilia Pompili
- Institute of Cancer and Pathology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | | | - Marlene Hechtner
- University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Despina Katsochi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Hygeia Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Karolina Müller
- Center for Clinical Studies, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Laura Gräfenstein
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Christian Schulz
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Andrew Bottomley
- Quality of Life Department, European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer, Brussels, Belgium
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