QUALITY-OF-LIFE ASSESSMENT IN ADVANCED CANCER

Our purpose is to examine how applicable current quality of life instr uments are in advanced cancer. Quality of life (QOL) is difficult to d efine and measure; it is a multidimensional, dynamic and subjective co ncept. An acceptable QOL instrument for advanced disease should be sim ple to administer and easy to explain, complete and analyse. In our vi ew, the present instruments used in oncology do not serve the needs of advanced cancer patients. Based on our review, we believe a single qu estion posed on a linear or categorical scale should be used to assess QOL in advanced cancer in preference to other available methods.