Patients' acceptance and psychometric properties of the EORTC QLQ-CX24 after surgery

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate patients' acceptance and the reliability and validity of a recently developed instrument to assess quality of life among cervical cancer patients, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Cervical Cancer Module (EORTC QLQ-CX24), in surgically treated patients after primary surgery.MethodsThe EORTC QLQ-CX24 was administered to 134 cervical cancer patients who had undergone pelvic surgery. Additional questionnaires completed were the EORTC QLQ-C30, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Sociodemographic and medical data were recorded.ResultsMissing values occurred in 4.5% of all non-optional items. Internal consistencies (Cronbach's alpha coefficients) for the three multi-item scales ranged from 0.70 to 0.87 (Symptom Experience 0.70, Body Image 0.87, Sexual/Vaginal Functioning 0.76), whereas scaling errors occurred in 6.8%, 0.0%, and 6.3% of the cases. In all domains, the entire range of the scale was used by patients. The scales were able to discriminate between different subgroups of patients.ConclusionThese psychometric analyses confirm that the EORTC QLQ-CX24 is a useful tool for the assessment of quality of life in cervical cancer patients after surgery.