Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Measurement of quality of life in localized prostatic cancer patients treated with radiotherapy. Development of a prostate cancer-specific module supplementing the EORTC QLQ-C30

  • Research Papers
  • Published:
Quality of Life Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to construct a multidimensional self-administered qualityof life questionnaire specific to prostate cancer within the EORTC framework and to test its applicability, clinical relevance and psychometry. A proposed prostate cancer-specific module and the standardized EORTC QLQ-C30 version 1.0 were tested in 192 postirradiated patients. Psychometric analyses comprised item convergent and discriminant validity for scaling success, analysis of the internal consistency of the multi-item scales and the validity of the scales. The clinical relevance was explored by correlation analysis including disease and treatment related parameters. The minimum psychometric criteria were met. The measurements revealed problem areas in sexuality with a mean score of 54 (SD=33) on a 0–100 scale, and in bowel functioning, scoring 25 on average (SD=17). Urinary complaints only reached a mean score of 6 (SD=9). Compared to earlier measurements on untreated or irradiated localized cancer patients using the same core questionnaire, the physical and psychological scales showed higher values and the symptom scales lower symptom burden. The constructed questionnaire seems applicable and clinically relevant. The psychometric analysis revealed a few items to be revised. Patients with localized prostatic carcinoma treated with radiotherapy have a high quality of life compared to patients with localized cancer of other origin.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Workshop: Pharmalogical treatment of prostatic cancer. Medical Products Agency, Sweden. 1993: 3.

  2. Gibbons RP, Correa RJ, Brannen GE, et al. Total prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer. J Urol 1985; 133: 49–52.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Greskovich FJ, Zagars GK, Sherman NE, Johnson DE. Complications following external beam radiation therapy for prostate cancer: An analysis of patients treated with and without staging pelvic lymphadenectomy. J Urol 1991; 146: 798–802.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Frödin T, Ålund G, Varenhorst E. Measurement of skin blood-flow and water evaporation as a means of objectively assessing hot flushes after orchidectomy in patients with carcinoma of the prostate. Prostate 1985; 7: 203–208.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Pilepich MV, Perez CA, Walz BJ, Zivnuska FR. Complications of definitive radiotherapy for carcinoma of the prostate. Int J Rad Oncol Biol Phys 1981; 7: 1341–1346.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Pilepich MV, Krall J, George FW, et al. Treatment-related morbidity in phase III RTOG studies of extended-field irradiation for carcimoma of the prostate. Int J Radiation Oncology Biol Phys 1984; 10: 1861–1867.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Deyo RA, Patrick DL. Barriers to the use of health status measures in clinical investigation, patient care and policy research. Med Care 1989; 27(Suppl): S254–268.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Yancik R, Edwards BK, Yates JW. Assessing the quality of life of cancer patients: Practical issues in study implementation. J Psychosoc Oncol 1989; 7: 59–74.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Cella DF, Tulsky DS. Measuring quality of life today: Methodological aspects. Oncology 1990; 4: 9–18.

    Google Scholar 

  10. vanKnippenberg FCE, deHaes JCJM. Measuring the quality of life of cancer patients: psychometric properties of instruments. J Clin Epidemiol 1988; 41: 1043–1053.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Osoba D, Aaronson NK, Till JE. A practical guide for selecting quality of life measures in clinical trials and practice. In: Osoba D ed. Effect of Cancer on Quality of Life. Boston: CRC Press, 1991: 89–104.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Aaronson NK, Ahmedzai S, Bergman B, et al. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30: A quality-of-life instrument for use in international clinical trials in oncology: J Natl Cancer Inst 1993; 85: 356–376.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Aaronson N, Bjordal K, Fayers P, Sullivan M. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 Scoring Manual. EORTC Data Center, Brussels; 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Aaronson NK, Cull A, Kaasa S, Sprangers MAG. The EORTC modular approach to quality-of-life assessment in oncology. Int J Ment Health 1994; 23: 75–96.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Aaronson NK, Cull A, Kaasa S, Sprangers M. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) modular approach to quality of life assessment in oncology: an update. In: Spilker B, ed. Quality of Life and Pharmacoeconomics in Clinical Trials. 2nd ed. New York: Raven Press, 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Sprangers MAG, Cull A, Bjordal K, Groenvold M, Aaronson NK. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer approach to quality of life assessment: Guidelines for developing questionnaire modules. Qual Life Res 1993; 2: 287–295.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Bergman B, Aaronson NK, Ahmedzai S, Kaasa S, Sullivan M. The EORTC QLQ-LC13: A modular supplement to the EORTC core quality of life questionnaire (QLQ-C30) for use in lung cancer clinical trials. Eur J Cancer 1994; 30: 635–642.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Bjordal K, Ahlner-Elmqvist M, Tollesson E, et al. Development of a European Organization for Research and Treatment of cancer (EORTC) questionnaire module to be used in quality of life assessments in head and neck cancer patients. Acta Oncol 1994; 33: 879–885.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Aaronson NK, Cull A, Groenvold M, et al. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer study group on quality of life. Protocol 15931. An international field study of the reliability and validity of the EORTC QLQ-C30 (version3.0) and a disease-specific questionnaire module (the QLQ-BR23) in assessing the quality of life of patients with breast cancer. March 1995.

  20. Fossa SD, Aaronson NK, Newling D, et al. Quality of life and treatment of hormone resistant metastatic prostatic cancer. Eur J Cancer 1990; 26: 1133–1136.

    Google Scholar 

  21. da-Silva FC. Quality of life in prostatic cancer patients. Cancer 1993; 72(Suppl): 3803–3806.

    Google Scholar 

  22. da-Silva FC, Quality of life in prostatic carcinoma. Eur Urol 1993; 24(Suppl 2): 113–117.

    Google Scholar 

  23. da-Silva FC, Reis E, Costa T, Denis L. Quality of life in patients with prostatic cancer: A feasibility study. Cancer 1993; 71: 1138–1142.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Jewett HJ, Bridge RW, Gray GFJr, Shelley WM. The palpable nodule of prostatic cancer. Results 15 years after excition. JAMA 1968; 203: 403–406.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Mostofi FK, Sesterhenn I, Sobin LH. International histological classification of tumours of the prostate. World Health Organization, 1981.

  26. Bergman B, Sullivan M, Sörensson S. Quality of life during chemotherapy for small cell lung cancer. II. A longitudinal study of the EORTC core quality of life questionnaire and comparison with the Sickness Impact Profile. Acta Oncol 1992; 31: 19–28.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Sigurdardóttir V, Bolund C, Brandberg Y, Sullivan M. The impact of generalized malignant melanoma on quality of life evaluated by the EORTC questionnaire technique. Qual Life Res 1993; 2: 193–203.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Hays RD, Hayashi T, Carson S, et al. Users Guide for the Multitrait Analysis Program (MAP). Santa Monica, CA: Rand Corporation, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Cronbach LJ. Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika 1951; 16: 297.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Nunnally JC, Bernstein IH. Psychometric Theory, 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Osoba D, Zee B, Pater J, Warr D, Kaizer L, Latreille J. Psychometric properties and responsiveness of the EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30) in patients with breast, ovarian and lung cancer. Qual Life Res 1994; 3: 353–364.

    Google Scholar 

  32. deBoer JB, Sprangers MAG, Aaronson NK, Lange JMA, vanDam FSAM. The feasibility, reliability and validity of the EORTC QLQ-C30 in assessing the quality-of-life of patients with a symptomatic HIV-infection or AIDS (cdc-IV). Psychol Health D; 1994; 9: 65–77.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Bjordal K, Kaasa S, Mastekaasa A. Quality of life in patients treated for head and neck cancer: A follow-up study 7 to 11 years after radiotherapy. Int J Radiation Oncology Biol Phys 1994; 28: 847–856.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Slevin ML, Plant H, Lynch D, Gregory WM. Who should measure quality of life, the doctor or the patient? Br J Cancer 1988; 57: 109–112.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Niezgoda HE, Pater JL. A validation study of the domains of the core EORTC quality of life questionnaire. Qual Life Res 1993; 2: 319–325.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Smit WGJM, Helle PA, vanPutten WLJ, Wijnmaalen AJ, Seldenrath JJ, van derWerf-Messing BHP. Late radiation damage in prostate cancer patients treated by high dose external radiotherapy in relation to rectal dose. Int J Rad Oncol Biol Phys 1990; 18: 23–29.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Mameghan H, Fisher R, Mameghan J, Watt WH, Tynan A. Bowel complications after radiotherapy for carcinoma of the prostate: the volume effect. Int J Rad Oncol Biol Phys 1990; 18: 315–320.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Masters WH, Johnson V. Human sexual inadequacy. Boston: Little, Brown and Co. 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  39. McNeal JE, Redwine EA, Freiha FS, Stamey TA. Zonal distribution of prostatic adenocarcinoma: correlation with histologic pattern and direction of spread. Am J Surg Pathol 1988; 12: 897–906.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oncology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden

    G. Borghede

  2. Health Care Research Unit Department of Internal Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden

    M. Sullivan

Authors
  1. G. Borghede
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. Sullivan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Borghede, G., Sullivan, M. Measurement of quality of life in localized prostatic cancer patients treated with radiotherapy. Development of a prostate cancer-specific module supplementing the EORTC QLQ-C30. Qual Life Res 5, 212–222 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00434743

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00434743

Key words

Search

Navigation