title: Development of an EORTC questionnaire module to be used in quality of life assessment for patients with oesophageal cancer. The EORTC Quality of Life Study Group.
abstract: Quality of life (QOL) assessments in patients with oesophageal cancer should provide clinically meaningful data that can assist management decision making. This study describes the development of a specific module for oesophageal cancer to use with the European Organisation into Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QOL questionnaire, the EORTC QLQ-C30. Relevant QOL issues were generated from a literature search and interviews with patients and oesophageal cancer specialists. Issues were formulated into items compatible with those of the EORTC QLQ-C30. The provisional module was pretested in patients from the United Kingdom, Spain and Sweden. The resulting module, the QLQ-OES 24, includes 24 items conceptualised as containing six scales and five single items. The addition of an oesophageal cancer-specific module to the core questionnaire should improve the sensitivity and specificity of the core instrument to allow detection of even small benefits accrued from new treatment modalities.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Surgery, Bristol Royal Infirmary, U.K.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Blazeby
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Alderson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Winstone
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Steyn
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hammerlid
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arraras
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Farndon
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000628:therapy; D016629:Esophagectomy; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires