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The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Measurement System

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Handbook of Quality of Life in Cancer

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Abstract

In this chapter, we provide a broad introduction to the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) patient-reported outcome (PRO) measurement system. Firstly, we explain the EORTC perspective on quality of life (QOL) and its modular approach to measure it in patients with cancer. This includes the EORTC QLQ-C30, the most widely used questionnaire for patients with cancer, which can be used in conjunction with questionnaire modules – which are specific for certain PRO domains or cancer types. Secondly, we describe the questionnaire development and validation process for EORTC measures. Moreover, we review other available measures like the computerized adaptive testing (CAT) questionnaires and static short-forms, the EORTC Item Library, EORTC standalone questionnaires, and the EORTC QLU-C10D, a measure for health economic analyses. Finally, we consider how data from EORTC PRO questionnaires can be interpreted using normative data, thresholds for clinical importance, and minimal important differences and describe how different EORTC measures can be used and implemented in clinical research and practice.

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  1. University Hospital of Psychiatry II, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

    Johannes M. Giesinger & Jens Lehmann

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  1. Department of Applied Health Research, University College London, London, UK

    Angelos P. Kassianos

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Giesinger, J.M., Lehmann, J. (2022). The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Measurement System. In: Kassianos, A.P. (eds) Handbook of Quality of Life in Cancer. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84702-9_5

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