Development and validation of the functional assessment of cancer therapy nasopharyngeal cancer subscale

✍ Scribed by Michael C. F. Tong; Phoebe S. Y. Lo; Kam Hung Wong; Rebecca M. W. Yeung; C. Andrew van Hasselt; Sonya Eremenco; David Cella

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 115 KB
• Volume: 31
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1043-3074
• DOI: 10.1002/hed.21023

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Background.

We aimed to develop a quality‐of‐life subscale for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and validate the functional assessment of cancer therapy‐nasopharyngeal (FACT‐NP).

Methods.

The FACT‐NP was tested cross‐sectionally in survivors of postirradiated NPC (n = 357) and was administered to newly diagnosed patients (n = 160) before, at the end of, and 3 months after radiotherapy (RT).

Results.

Each FACT‐NP domain was internally consistent (Cronbach's alpha = 0.87–0.90). The test–retest reliability for each subscale was satisfactory (intraclass correlation coefficient = .73–.88). Concurrent validity was suggested by the moderate to strong correlations between the FACT‐NP and the Quality of Life‐Radiation Therapy Instrument‐Head and Neck (QOL‐RTI‐H&N) subscales (Pearson r = .39–.84). The FACT‐NP was responsive to clinical changes from pretreatment to 3 months after RT (effect sizes > 0.6 for clinically relevant subscales). The pooled data for multitrait scaling analysis showed satisfactory item internal consistency and item discriminant validity (100% and 90% scaling success, respectively).

Conclusion.

The FACT‐NP is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring QOL in patients with NPC. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2009