Quality of life of head and neck cancer patient: validation of the European organization for research and treatment of cancer QLQ-C30 and European organization for research and treatment of cancer QLQ-H&N 35 in Indian patients.
OBJECTIVE
To present the first cross-culture validation of the European organization for research and treatment of cancer (EORTC) quality of life questionnaires, the EORTC-QLQ-C30, and the QLQ-H&N 35 in India.


METHODS
These questionnaires were translated into two vernacular languages and pilot test was done on 15 patients. Two hundred head and neck cancer patients completed the QLQ-C30 and the QLQ-H&N 35 at two time points during their treatment. Psychometric evaluation of the structure, reliability, and validity of the questionnaire was undertaken.


RESULTS
The data supports the reliability of the scales. Validity was tested by item-scale, scale--scale correlation and by performing known group comparisons. The results demonstrated that the items correlated with their respective scale and no significant correlation was found between scales. The questionnaire was responsive to change over a period of time.


CONCLUSIONS
This data suggests that the EORTC QLO-C30 and the QLQ-H&N 35 are reliable and valid questionnaires when applied to a sample of head and neck cancer patients in India.
Chaukar
D A
DA
TATA Memorial Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, India. dchaukar@rediffmail.com
Das
A K
AK
Deshpande
M S
MS
Pai
P S
PS
Pathak
K A
KA
Chaturvedi
P
P
Kakade
A C
AC
Hawaldar
R W
RW
D'Cruz
A K
AK
D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D037981:Neck Dissection; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012106:Research / Q000592:standards; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*