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Measuring symptoms in localized prostate cancer: a systematic review of assessment instruments

Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases volume 16, pages 111–122 (2013)Cite this article

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Abstract

It is critical for prostate cancer researchers and clinicians to have access to comprehensive, sensitive and simple-to-use symptom measures that allow them to understand and quantify the subjective patient experience. The purpose of the current review is to provide a comprehensive review, detailed tool descriptions and objectively defined quality criteria to facilitate tool choices for patients with localized prostate cancer. Using a systematic web-based literature search, we found n=29 prostate symptom measures described in n=35 validation studies. To be recommended, tools needed to meet four criteria: broad domain coverage, ability to differentiate objective and subjective experience, good internal consistency and validation in at least two populations and/or having achieved two types of validations. Of the 29 tools reviewed, n=7 meet our criteria for recommendation, and three in particular (the EPIC-26 (Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite)-26, PC-QOL (Prostate Cancer—Quality of Life) and the UCLA-PCI (UCLA Prostate Cancer Index)) showed the strongest psychometrics. There is a reasonable number of measures to choose from that meet criteria for good psychometrics.

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Acknowledgements

We are very grateful for the critical feedback of Dr Joyce Davison and Dr Richard Wassersug on an earlier draft of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    K Rnic, W Linden, I Tudor, R Pullmer & A Vodermaier

  2. BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    W Linden

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology—Campus Grosshadern, University of Munich, Munich, Germany

    A Vodermaier

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Correspondence to W Linden.

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Rnic, K., Linden, W., Tudor, I. et al. Measuring symptoms in localized prostate cancer: a systematic review of assessment instruments. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 16, 111–122 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/pcan.2013.1

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