Longitudinal validation and comparison of the Chinese version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life-Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-CIPN20) and the Functional Assessment of Cancer-Gynecologic Oncology Group-Neurotoxicity subscale (FACT/GOG-Ntx)

Asia Pac J Clin Oncol. 2019 Feb;15(1):56-62. doi: 10.1111/ajco.13000. Epub 2018 Jun 5.

Abstract

Aim: To validate and compare the Chinese version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life-Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-CIPN20) and the Functional Assessment of Cancer-Gynecologic Oncology Group-Neurotoxicity subscale (FACT/GOG-Ntx) for measuring chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) in cancer patients.

Methods: Patients were assessed with the EORTC QLQ-CIPN20, FACT/GOG-Ntx, National Cancer Institute-Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTCAE) and World Health Organization criterion of CIPN (WHO-CIPN) from baseline up to 10 assessment points. Internal consistency reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity and responsiveness of the EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 and FACT/GOG-Ntx were evaluated, respectively. Correlation and regression analysis were used to examine the relationships between these two scales.

Results: Internal reliability coefficients for both scales were above 0.80 across all assessment points. Moderate correlations of the two scales were found with WHO-CIPN (rs = 0.40-0.44; rs = -0.42 to -0.46, all P < 0.05) and NCI-CTCAE (rs = 0.46-0.57; rs = -0.44 to -0.55, all P < 0.01) at most assessment points. Older patients reported significantly more CIPN symptoms than younger counterparts did (P < 0.05). The hypothesized factor structures of both scales were not confirmed (χ2/df = 3.70-7.01; χ2/df = 2.14-10.43, all P < 0.001). Both scales demonstrated responsiveness with small-to-moderate effect size (r = 0.09-0.46, r = 0.11-0.35). The two scales were highly correlated and were predicted by all domains of each other at specific assessment points (R2 = 0.62-0.87; R2 = 0.76-0.85; respectively, all P < 0.001).

Conclusion: The Chinese version of the EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 and FACT/GOG-Ntx demonstrated acceptable reliability, validity and responsiveness and was found comparable in measuring CIPN among Chinese cancer patients at specific assessment points.

Keywords: Chinese; EORTC QLQ-CIPN20; FACT/GOG-Ntx; chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy; psychometrics.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Multicenter Study
  • Observational Study
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / adverse effects*
  • Carboplatin / administration & dosage
  • Cisplatin / administration & dosage
  • Docetaxel / administration & dosage
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Neoplasms / pathology
  • Paclitaxel / administration & dosage
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / chemically induced*
  • Prognosis
  • Prospective Studies
  • Quality of Life*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Survival Rate

Substances

  • Docetaxel
  • Carboplatin
  • Paclitaxel
  • Cisplatin