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Quality-of-Life Assessment: The Challenge of Incorporating Quality-of-Life and Patient-Reported Outcomes into Investigative Trials and Clinical Practice

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Abstract

Health professionals have come to value health-related quality of life (HRQL) as a concept for oncology. Nonetheless, HRQL is rarely found as the primary endpoint in oncology research trials even though survival differences are uncommon. Perhaps more telling is the fact that systematic HRQL evaluation is not frequently used as part of clinical decision making in the daily practice of oncology. In this chapter, practical steps are presented for selecting validated HRQL measures, and strategies are discussed to make this endpoint easier to incorporate into both clinical trials and regular practice. There are now large compendia, which are easily available via the Internet, which lists and describes HRQL measures. This access fosters acquaintance with appropriate instruments for a variety of purposes in cancer health care. With so many measures available, some guidance in choosing suitable instruments can aid in assessment and results analysis. This overview provides steps for comparing the key features and psychometric properties of HRQL measures for patients with cancer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, Lake Success, NY, 11042, USA

    Richard J. Gralla

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  1. Richard J. Gralla
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  2. Patricia J. Hollen
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Correspondence to Richard J. Gralla .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Professor, Cancer Coucil Australia, University of Sydney Medical School, Surry Hills, 2010, New South Wales, Australia

    Ian N. Olver

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© 2010 Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine

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Gralla, R.J., Hollen, P.J. (2010). Quality-of-Life Assessment: The Challenge of Incorporating Quality-of-Life and Patient-Reported Outcomes into Investigative Trials and Clinical Practice. In: Olver, I. (eds) The MASCC Textbook of Cancer Supportive Care and Survivorship. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1225-1_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1225-1_7

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