Development of an EORTC questionnaire module to be used in health-related quality-of-life assessment for patients with multiple myeloma

A multiple myeloma-specific quality-of-life questionnaire module has been d esigned in collaboration with the EORTC Quality-of-Life Study Group to be u sed in clinical trials with the EORTC QLQ-C30, a general cancer questionnai re. Strict methodology was employed to ensure thorough and appropriate deve lopment of the module. An extensive literature review was performed to iden tify health-related quality-of-life issues relevant to patients with multip le myeloma. Semi-structured interviews were then carried out in several Eur opean countries with health-care providers experienced in the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma, and with a group of patients with multiple myeloma, to identify the issues which were most important to patients. A qu estionnaire was devised from the list of issues, using a 1-week time-frame and response categories consistent with the EORTC QLQ-C30. The provisional questionnaire and the EORTC QLQ-C30 were administered to patients with mult iple myeloma in each participating country with further semi-structured int erviews to refine the content and design of the questionnaire. A review of the results obtained in each stage of development resulted in a 24-item mye loma-specific module, the EORTC QLQ-MY24, which assesses disease-specific s ymptoms and their impact on everyday lifer treatment side-effects, social s upport, and future perspective. The module is currently undergoing Further international field-testing to assess its psychometric properties.