International validation of the EORTC QLQ-ELD14 questionnaire for assessment of health-related quality of life elderly patients with cancer

Abstract

Background:Older people represent the majority of cancer patients but their specific needs are often ignored in the development of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) instruments. The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-ELD15 was developed to supplement the EORTC's core questionnaire, the QLQ-C30, for measuring HRQOL in patients aged >70 years in oncology studies.Methods:Patients (n=518) from 10 countries completed the QLQ-C30, QLQ-ELD15 and a debriefing interview. Eighty two clinically stable patients repeated the questionnaires 1 week later (test–retest analysis) and 107 others, with an expected change in clinical status, repeated the questionnaires 3 months later (response to change analysis, RCA).Results:Information from the debriefing interview, factor analysis and item response theory analysis resulted in the removal of one item (QLQ-ELD15→QLQ-ELD14) and revision of the proposed scale structure to five scales (mobility, worries about others, future worries, maintaining purpose and illness burden) and two single items (joint stiffness and family support). Convergent validity was good. In known-group comparisons, the QLQ-ELD14 differentiated between patients with different disease stage, treatment intention, number of comorbidities, performance status and geriatric screening scores. Test–retest and RCA analyses were equivocal.Conclusion:The QLQ-ELD14 is a validated HRQOL questionnaire for cancer patients aged ⩾70 years. Changes in elderly patients' self-reported HRQOL may be related to both cancer evolution and non-clinical events.

Conceptual equivalence of items and semantic equivalence of the Brazilian version of the EORTC QLQ-ELD14 instrument to evaluate the quality of life of elderly people with cancer

“…The original instrument 14 was self-applied by the respondents but in the population of the present study, medical and schooling characteristics were an obstacle to the self-completion of the questionnaire. We concluded that this instrument should be used in an interview format in Brazilian patients.…”

“…The Brazilian version of the EORTC QLQ-ELD14 14 is the result of a cross-cultural adaptation process performed in agreement with the procedures recommended by the EORTC Quality of Life Group. The process to ensure semantic and conceptual equivalence follows the Herdman universalist approach 15 , which was introduced in Brazil by Reichenheim 16 .…”

Qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde de idosos em tratamento quimioterápico

“…Este aborda questões importantes para a QV do idoso, como independência funcional, relação com família e amigos, preocupações com o futuro, autonomia e quantidade de doença, mas só foi validado em agosto de 2013, quando o trabalho de campo do presente artigo já havia sido encerrado. 23 Ademais, o local do estudo, por ser um hospital de referência em oncologia de uma população atendida pelo SUS, pode refletir as características dessa população e não representar os idosos de todos os estratos sociais.…”

Role of geriatric intervention in the treatment of older patients with cancer: rationale and design of a phase III multicenter trial

“…Progression, as well as objective response, will be defined as per the RECIST criteria for solid tumors [28] or the Cheson criteria for lymphomas [29]. HRQoL dimensions other than those targeted for the primary efficacy endpoints will similarly be assessed based on the EORTC scoring manual, and the EORTC ELD-14 module will be assessed following published guidelines [30]. For each of the HRQoL dimensions, time until definitive deterioration (TUDD) will be investigated and defined based on a recent publication [31].…”