Symptom assessment in ambulatory oncology: initial validation of the nurse-developed Modified Ambulatory Care Flow Sheet (MACFS)

This paper reports relationships between symptoms assessed using a newly developed instrument for assessing patient-reported symptoms, the Modified Ambulatory Care Flow Sheet (MACFS), and other symptom assessment measures.

Using a cross-sectional design, patients on active treatment for colorectal cancer were recruited in an ambulatory setting of a tertiary care cancer center in western Canada. Participants completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire—Cancer 30, the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist Modified, Linear analog scales for pain and coping, and the MACFS, all at a single time point.

We found moderate to strong correlations between the MACFS scores and scores on the other symptom measures used. The correlations were not as strong when using the MACFS symptom change scores, as when using the MACFS scores for the presence or absence of a particular symptom.

The MACFS reflects the symptom experience of colorectal cancer patients. Further evaluation in more diverse populations and of the relationship between MACFS symptom scores and quality of life will improve our understanding of the MACFS and of the cancer patient treatment experience.