Linking EORTC QLQ-C-30 and PedsQL/PEDQOL physical functioning scores in patients with osteosarcoma

Budde A, Baust K, Weinhold L, Bernstein M, Bielack S, Dhooge C, Hjorth L, Janeway KA, Jenney M, Krailo MD, Marina N, Nagarajan R, Smeland S, Sydes MR, De Vos P, Whelan J, Wiener A, Calaminus G, Schmid M. Linking EORTC QLQ-C-30 and PedsQL/PEDQOL physical functioning scores in patients with osteosarcoma. Eur J Cancer. 2022 Jul;170:209-235. doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2022.03.018. Epub 2022 Jun 8. PubMed PMID: 35689897; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9251607.

The available questionnaires for quality-of-life (QoL) assessments are age-group specific, limiting comparability and impeding longitudinal analyses. The comparability of measurements, however, is a necessary condition for gaining scientific evidence. To overcome this problem, we assessed the viability of harmonising data from paediatric and adult patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures. To this end, we linked physical functioning scores from the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) and the Paediatric Quality of Life Questionnaire (PEDQOL) to the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) for adults. Samples from the EURAMOS-1 QoL sub-study of 75 (PedsQL) and 112 (PEDQOL) adolescent osteosarcoma patients were concurrently administered both paediatric and adult questionnaires on 98 (PedsQL) and 156 (PEDQOL) occasions. We identified corresponding scores using the single-group equipercentile linking method.