Assessing quality of life in patients with head and neck cancer - Cross-validation of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) quality of life head and neck module (QLQ-H&N35)

Objective: To evaluate the reliability and validity of a new, disease-speci fic quality-of-life measure for patients with head and neck cancer: the Eur opean Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire-QLQ-H&N35. Design: Cross-sectional study using questionnaire data and medical chart re view. Setting: Academic tertiary care otolaryngology clinic. Participants: One hundred twenty ambulatory patients, including 30 patients with advanced head and neck cancer in each of the following stages of trea tment: (1) prior to treatment, (2) during active treatment, (3) within 6 mo nths of completing treatment, and (4) more than 6 months after completing t reatment. In addition, (5) a comparison group of 40 patients without malign ant disease was included (total sample, N = 160). Main Outcome Measures: Scores on EORTC Quality of Life Core Questionnaire ( QLQ-C30) and head and neck module (QLQ-H&N35), Profile of Mood States, and Impact of Events Scale. Results: The QLQ-H&N35 demonstrated acceptable reliability (internal consis tency). It successfully discriminated between cancer patients and the compa rison group, and among subgroups of cancer patients at different phases of treatment (construct validity). The instrument was sensitive to the effects of radiation treatment and to site of disease. Its low-to-moderate correla tions with the EORTC core questionnaire indicated that the QLQ-H&N35 provid ed unique information (discriminant validity). Scores were significantly as sociated with a number of demographic variables. Conclusion: Results support the use of this disease-specific measure to ass ess quality of life among patients with advanced head and neck cancer.