The Construction and Testing of the Japanese Version of EORTC Colorectal Cancer-specific Quality of Life Questionnaire Module (EORTC QLQ-CR38)

• Published in: Nippon Daicho Komonbyo Gakkai Zasshi Vol. 60; no. 2; pp. 69 - 76
• Main Authors: Tsunoda, A., Yasuda, N., Nakao, K., Yokoyama, N., Kamiyama, G., Marumori, T., Yoshizawa, Y., Kusano, M., Hashimoto, H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese; English
• Published: The Japan Society of Coloproctology 2007
• Subjects: EORTC QLQ-CR38; quality of life
• ISSN: 0047-1801; 1882-9619
• DOI: 10.3862/jcoloproctology.60.69

The objectives of the present study were to test the reliability and validity of the Japanese version of European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 (CR38J). The module consists of 38 items covering four functional scales and eight symptom scales. This module was tested among 81 colorectal cancer patients on four occasions. The timing was prior to treatment, one to two months later, and three months following the second assessment. For purposes of test-retest reliability, the patients completed the CR38J one week following the third assessment. Multitrait scaling analysis confirmed the satisfactory construct validity of the module. Cronbach's alpha coefficients for seven of nine scales exceeded the 0.7 criterion at one or both assessments. The test-retest reliability was satisfactory for the functional scales but unsatisfactory for half of the symptom scales. On the basis of comparisons of known groups, selective scales distinguished between patients differing in the location of disease, performance status and the presence of a stoma. The findings suggest that CR38J is associated with satisfactory reliability and validity.