Development of an EORTC questionnaire for the assessment of quality of life in thyroid cancer patients (EORTC QLQ-THY) - Phase IV

Thyroid cancer is, on the one hand, one of the rarer malignancies worldwide; the age-standardised rate in Europe is 6.3 per 100,000 per year (3.1 in men and 9.3 in women). On the other hand, incidence rates are increasing across different countries, and the reasons for that increase are not yet fully understood. Clinicians often assume that, due to the good prognosis, patients are less emotionally distressed than other cancer patients and that QoL is comparable to the general population as long as patients do not have to undergo thyroxine withdrawal. Whilst some studies have found that individuals with thyroid cancer generally have a QoL that it is comparable to those in the general population, others have reported an impaired QoL. A key weakness of such studies to date has been a lack of specific modules for thyroid-related problems and functioning. Assessments have been done largely using generic instruments. Only a few general thyroid-specific QoL questionnaires have been developed and none so far for use in thyroid cancer patients exclusively. Importantly none of these instruments can be used in conjunction with the EORTC QLQ-C30 as the response categories and time frame do not fit.

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Funding: European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC)