title: Validation of the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-H&N35 in patients with laryngeal cancer after surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to test the validity of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire, Core Module (QLQ-C30) and Head and Neck Module (QLQ-H&N35) for patients who have undergone surgery due to laryngeal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 323 patients from 6 different centers in Germany who had been operated on completed the QLQ-C30 and the QLQ-H&N35 in addition to being surveyed in a personal interview.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multitrait scaling analysis confirmed the proposed scale structure of both questionnaires. Cronbach's alpha of the QLQ-C30 scales ranged from 0.64 (Cognitive Functioning) to 0.94 (Global Health Status); the alpha of the QLQ-H&N35 ranged from 0.55 (Speech) to 0.90 (Sexuality). Known-groups comparisons showed multiple differences in sociodemographic and clinical variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It can be concluded that the QLQ-H&N35, in conjunction with the QLQ-C30, is a reliable instrument that is able to differentiate between diverse groups of patients with laryngeal cancer after surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. susanne.singer@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.forename: Dorit
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wollbrück
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wulke
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dietz
authors.forename: Eckart
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Klemm
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oeken
authors.forename: Eberhard F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Meister
authors.forename: Hilmar
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gudziol
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bindewald
authors.forename: Reinhold
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schwarz
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires