title: Preliminary development of a lymphedema symptom assessment scale for patients with head and neck cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Currently, no instruments are available to assess symptoms secondary to lymphedema in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). The study aim was to develop and conduct preliminary tests of such an instrument.
  
  
  METHODS
  A preliminary item pool was generated from a literature review, previous work in breast cancer-related lymphedema, and an observational study. The item pool was revised based on an expert panel's suggestions and feedback from 18 patients with HNC. The current questionnaire, the Lymphedema Symptom Intensity and Distress Survey-Head and Neck (LSIDS-H&N), was then pilot tested in 30 patients with HNC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preliminary testing (1) demonstrated feasibility, readability, and ease of use of the LSIDS-H&N and (2) identified that there was a considerable level of symptom burden in the cohort of patients in the piloting sample.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Content validity of the LSIDS-H&N was supported by the expert panel during development of the LSIDS-H&N. Further testing is ongoing.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University, 461 21st Ave. South, 600B Godchaux Hall, Nashville, TN 37240, USA. jie.deng@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Sheila H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ridner
authors.forename: Barbara A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Mary S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Dietrich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008209:Lymphedema / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
references.citation: Head Neck. 2009 Apr;31(4):503-12
references.pmid: 19156833
references.citation: PLoS One. 2009 Dec 21;4(12):e8380
references.pmid: 20027220
references.citation: J Clin Oncol. 2008 Jul 20;26(21):3536-42
references.pmid: 18640935
references.citation: J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2009 Jul;135(7):961-7
references.pmid: 19107519
references.citation: Ann Plast Surg. 2007 Oct;59(4):464-72
references.pmid: 17901744
references.citation: J Surg Res. 2001 Feb;95(2):147-51
references.pmid: 11162038
references.citation: Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2003 May 1;56(1):40-9
references.pmid: 12694822
references.citation: Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2001 Apr;80(4):261-9
references.pmid: 11277132
references.citation: HNO. 1998 Aug;46(8):731-8
references.pmid: 9773329
references.citation: Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2010 Sep;299(3):C589-605
references.pmid: 20519446
references.citation: Nutr Clin Pract. 2006 Feb;21(1):68-81
references.pmid: 16439772
references.citation: Biol Trace Elem Res. 2005 Sep;106(3):193-203
references.pmid: 16141467
references.citation: Can Oncol Nurs J. 2006 Fall;16(3):165-79
references.pmid: 17523577
references.citation: Lymphat Res Biol. 2009;7(2):109-12
references.pmid: 19534633
references.citation: Support Care Cancer. 2005 Nov;13(11):904-11
references.pmid: 15812652
references.citation: PLoS Med. 2006 Jul;3(7):e254
references.pmid: 16834456
references.citation: Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 2010 Jun;24(3):625-42
references.pmid: 20488358
references.citation: Lymphat Res Biol. 2009;7(2):97-100
references.pmid: 19522679
references.citation: Anticancer Res. 2007 Jul-Aug;27(4A):1953-6
references.pmid: 17649803
references.citation: Med Princ Pract. 2004 Jul-Aug;13(4):185-90
references.pmid: 15181321
references.citation: Plast Reconstr Surg. 2009 Aug;124(2):438-450
references.pmid: 19644258
references.citation: Expert Rev Anticancer Ther. 2007 Jul;7(7):1043-53
references.pmid: 17627463