Development and validation of the functional assessment of cancer therapy nasopharyngeal cancer subscale.
BACKGROUND
We aimed to develop a quality-of-life subscale for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and validate the functional assessment of cancer therapy-nasopharyngeal (FACT-NP).


METHODS
The FACT-NP was tested cross-sectionally in survivors of postirradiated NPC (n = 357) and was administered to newly diagnosed patients (n = 160) before, at the end of, and 3 months after radiotherapy (RT).


RESULTS
Each FACT-NP domain was internally consistent (Cronbach's alpha = 0.87-0.90). The test-retest reliability for each subscale was satisfactory (intraclass correlation coefficient = .73-.88). Concurrent validity was suggested by the moderate to strong correlations between the FACT-NP and the Quality of Life-Radiation Therapy Instrument-Head and Neck (QOL-RTI-H&N) subscales (Pearson r = .39-.84). The FACT-NP was responsive to clinical changes from pretreatment to 3 months after RT (effect sizes > 0.6 for clinically relevant subscales). The pooled data for multitrait scaling analysis showed satisfactory item internal consistency and item discriminant validity (100% and 90% scaling success, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
The FACT-NP is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring QOL in patients with NPC.
Tong
Michael C F
MC
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China. mtong@cuhk.edu.hk
Lo
Phoebe S Y
PS
Wong
Kam Hung
KH
Yeung
Rebecca M W
RM
van Hasselt
C Andrew
CA
Eremenco
Sonya
S
Cella
David
D
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011336:Probability; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors