Clinical trial NCT02745691: Psychometric Properties of the EORTC QLQ-LC29
Official title: An International Phase 4 Field Study for Analyzing the Psychometric Properties of the Updated Module on Assessing Quality of Life of Patients With Lung Cancer (EORTC QLQ-LC29)
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Conditions: Lung Cancer
Keywords: quality of life
psychometric validation
international field study
patient-reported outcome (PRO)
Lead sponsor: University Hospital Regensburg
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2016-04-20
Enrollment: 523
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Observational model: COHORT
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Patients with histologically confirmed diagnosis of lung cancer

Brief summary: The aim of the Phase 4 study is to test the scale structure, reliability, responsiveness to change and validity of the EORTC QLQ-LC29 in conjunction with the EORTC QLQ-C30 in patients diagnosed with lung cancer. Participants will be enrolled in four groups according to their primary therapy (A. Surgery, B. Radiochemotherapy, C. Targeted therapy, D. Immunotherapy). According to sample size calculations the investigators will include a total of N = 450 patients, but inflating the recruitment goal is permissible.

Detailed description: Background The EORTC QLQ-C30 assesses quality of life of cancer patients and comprises 30 items that are grouped in five functional scales (physical, role, cognitive, emotional and social), one scale to rate global health and quality of life, three multi-item symptom scales (fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain) and five single symptom items (dyspnoea, insomnia, appetite loss, constipation and diarrhea), one item assessing perceived financial impact of disease and treatment.

The updated lung cancer module, the QLQ-LC29, is a module to be used in conjunction with the QLQ-C30 for the assessment of specific aspects of quality of life in patients with lung cancer. All items are accompanied by the classic EORTC four-point Likert response scale with the labels 1 "not at all", 2 "a little", 3 "quite a bit", and 4 "very much". The time frame is the past week ("Please indicate the extent to which you have experienced these symptoms or problems during the past week").

Eligibility Patients are eligible for this study if they have a histologically confirmed diagnosis of lung cancer, are able to understand the language of the questionnaire, are mentally fit to complete the questionnaire, and have provided written informed consent.

Sampling matrix Participants will be enrolled in four groups according to their primary therapy: A. Surgery, B. Radiochemotherapy, C. Targeted therapy, D. Immunotherapy. Various combinations of therapies are possible, resulting in a total of eight subgroups: A.1 Surgery alone and/or before any adjuvant therapy, A.2 Surgery (late effects), B.1 Chemotherapy alone, B.2 Radiotherapy alone, B.3 Sequential radiochemotherapy, B.4 Concurrent radiochemotherapy, C.1 Targeted therapy alone, C.2 Targeted therapy in combination with any other therapy, D. Immunotherapy.

Procedure Patients are informed about the goal of the study. After granting informed consent, patients fill in the self-administered paper version of the EORTC QLQ-C30 plus the new lung module QLQ-LC29. Their physicians provide the clinical documentation. A subsample of the patients will fill in the questionnaires at a second time point two to four weeks later.

Sample size According to sample size calculations we will include a total of N = 450 patients, but inflating the recruitment goal is permissible.

Statistical analyses Scale structure will be analysed by confirmatory factor analyses, and backed by classical test theory (convergent/discriminant validity). Reliability will be calculated by means of Cronbach's alpha (internal consistency) and intra-class coefficient (ICC, test-retest reliability). Sensitivity of the module will be assessed by means of known group differences (Karnofsky Performance Status). Responsiveness to change over time will take into account differences between the second and first assessment.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* histologically confirmed diagnosis of lung cancer
* no previous primary or recurrent tumour
* ability to understand the language of the questionnaire
* mental fitness to complete a questionnaire
* 18 years of age or above
* written informed consent.-

Exclusion Criteria:

* no histologically confirmed diagnosis of lung cancer-
* previous primary or recurrent tumour
* not mentally fit to complete a questionnaire
* not able to understand the language of the questionnaire
* younger than 18
* refusal of informed consent.

Primary outcomes:
measure: QLQ-LC29
timeFrame: In the course of therapy or up to three months after having completed therapy
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Regensburg
country: Germany
facility: Center for Clinical Studies, University Hospital Regensburg
Study officials:
affiliation: University Hospital Regensburg
name: Michael Koller, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Koch M, Grafenstein L, Karnosky J, Schulz C, Koller M. Psychosocial Burden and Quality of Life of Lung Cancer Patients: Results of the EORTC QLQ-C30/QLQ-LC29 Questionnaire and Hornheide Screening Instrument. Cancer Manag Res. 2021 Aug 7;13:6191-6197. doi: 10.2147/CMAR.S314310. eCollection 2021.
citation: Koller M, Shamieh O, Hjermstad MJ, Hornslien K, Young T, Chalk T, Ioannidis G, Harle A, Johnson CD, Tomaszewski KA, Serpentini S, Pinto M, van der Weijst L, Janssens A, Morag O, Chie WC, Arraras JI, Pompili C, Jungraithmayr W, Hechtner M, Katsochi D, Muller K, Grafenstein L, Schulz C, Bottomley A; European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Group; EORTC Lung Cancer Group; European Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Psychometric properties of the updated EORTC module for assessing quality of life in patients with lung cancer (QLQ-LC29): an international, observational field study. Lancet Oncol. 2020 May;21(5):723-732. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(20)30093-0. Epub 2020 Mar 23.