European Journal of Cancer
Volume 39, Issue 9 , Pages 1259-1263, June 2003

Development of an EORTC disease-specific quality of life questionnaire for use in patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer

  • V. Kavadas

      Affiliations

    • University Division of Surgery, Level 7, Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol BS2 8HW, UK
    • ,
  • J.M. Blazeby

      Affiliations

    • University Division of Surgery, Level 7, Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol BS2 8HW, UK
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +44-117-928-2336; fax: +44-117-925-2736
    • ,
  • T. Conroy

      Affiliations

    • Department of Medical Oncology, Centre Alexis Vautrin, Nancy, France
    • ,
  • O. Sezer

      Affiliations

    • Department of Oncology and Haematology, University Hospital Charité, Berlin, Germany
    • ,
  • B. Holzner

      Affiliations

    • Department of Biological Psychiatry, University Clinics Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
    • ,
  • M. Koller

      Affiliations

    • Institute of Theoretical Surgery, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
    • ,
  • J. Buckels

      Affiliations

    • Liver Unit, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, UK
    • ,
  • on behalf of the EORTC Quality of Life Group

Received 12 December 2002; accepted 18 February 2003.

Abstract 

Quality of life (QL) is an important outcome measure within clinical trials. This paper describes the development of a QL module for patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC) to supplement the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) core QL questionnaire, the EORTC QLQ-C30. Phases 1–3 of the EORTC QL Group guidelines for developing QL modules were followed. The literature search generated 71 QL issues. Semi-structured interviews with eight healthcare professionals and 47 patients from the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Austria reduced the list to 23 issues. Questionnaire items were formulated to be compatible with the EORTC QLQ-C30. The provisional module was further tested in 102 patients resulting in a 21-item module, the QLQ-LMC21 (Liver Metastases Colorectal). A combination of the core questionnaire and the QLQ-LMC21 will provide essential QL information regarding the use of treatments in both the curative and palliative settings.

Keywords:  Colorectal hepatic metastases, Quality of life, Questionnaire, Advanced colorectal cancer, EORTC QLQ-C30

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PII: S0959-8049(03)00236-3

doi:10.1016/S0959-8049(03)00236-3

European Journal of Cancer
Volume 39, Issue 9 , Pages 1259-1263, June 2003

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