Validation of the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-H&N35 in patients with laryngeal cancer after surgery.
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.
Singer
Susanne
S
Department of Social Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. susanne.singer@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
Wollbrück
Dorit
D
Wulke
Cornelia
C
Dietz
Andreas
A
Klemm
Eckart
E
Oeken
Jens
J
Meister
Eberhard F
EF
Gudziol
Hilmar
H
Bindewald
Julian
J
Schwarz
Reinhold
R
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