title: Measuring the relationship of quality of life and health status, including tumor burden, symptoms, and biochemical measures in patients with neuroendocrine tumors.
abstract: The measurement of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has become essential for evaluating the impact of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) on symptoms and social, emotional, psychological, and physical functioning of patients who harbor these tumors. This article describes instruments that have been developed to capture the spectrum of symptoms and the impact of the disease on their overall well-being. The authors discuss the importance of adequate sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility and the value of psychometric factor analysis to explore the domains that embrace the manifestations of these tumors as well as aspects of the instruments that reflect tumor burden, biochemical, and hormonal status.
authors.affiliation: Neuroendocrine Unit, Strelitz Diabetes Center for Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders, Eastern Virginia Medical School, 855 West Brambleton Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23510, USA. vinikai@evms.edu
authors.forename: Etta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vinik
authors.forename: Maria P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Aaron I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Vinik
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D011379:Prognosis; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D047368:Tumor Burden
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor