Abstract
Background
The M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI) is a psychometrically validated patient-reported
outcome measurement that assesses the severity and impact of multiple symptoms related
to cancer and its treatment. With the MDASI, patients rate 13 common “core” symptoms
and 6 items that reflect symptom interference with functioning. Several MDASI modules
(core symptom and interference items plus additional symptoms specific to a particular
cancer type or treatment modality) have been developed. Although the original MDASI
validation study encompassed various cancer types, the instrument's psychometric properties
have not been examined in a homogenous sample of patients with breast cancer in a
national multicenter study.
Materials and Methods
We performed a secondary analysis of data from an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group
study to establish the reliability, validity, and sensitivity of the MDASI in a large
sample of patients with breast cancer (n = 1544), 78% of whom were receiving treatment.
The instrument was administered twice, approximately 1 month apart.
Results
Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were adequate, with Cronbach α values
≥ 0.85 and intraclass correlations ≥ 0.76 for all subscales. Known-group validity
was evaluated by using performance status, tumor response, and disease stage. Sensitivity
to change in patient-reported quality of life was established.
Conclusion
The MDASI is a valid, reliable, and sensitive symptom-assessment instrument that can
enhance descriptive and clinical studies of symptom status in patients with breast
cancer. Future studies might include cognitive debriefing and qualitative interviews
to identify additional disease-specific items for inclusion in a MDASI breast cancer
module.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 01, 2013
Accepted:
February 4,
2013
Received in revised form:
December 21,
2012
Received:
September 14,
2012
Identification
Copyright
© 2013 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
