title: Quality of life of patients with gastric cancer in Taiwan: validation and clinical application of the Taiwan Chinese version of the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-STO22.
abstract: The relatively high incidence of gastric cancer in Taiwan warranted the need of a disease-specific quality of life (QOL) instrument. We translated the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-STO22 according to the guidelines from the EORTC. A total of 100 patients were interviewed. Convergent and discriminant validity, Cronbach's alpha coefficient and known-groups comparisons were used to examine the reliability and validity. We found good reliability for multi-item subscales of the QLQ-C30 and QLQ-STO22 (Cronbach's alpha coefficient: 0.70-0.94) except cognitive functioning of the QLQ-C30 and eating restriction of the QLQ-STO22. Patients in the active treatment group experienced compromised functional status and worse treatment-associated symptoms than those in the follow-up group. Similar results were found in comparisons based on Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status and dysphagia grades. The study has ascertained the cross-cultural validity, reliability and clinical applicability of the Taiwan Chinese version of the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-STO22.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Cathay General Hospital Sijhih, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chi-Cheng
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Heng-Hui
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Lien
authors.forename: Yung-Chuan
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Han-Ting
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wei-Chu
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chie
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan; D014175:Translating