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. 2013 Oct;13(5):325-34.
doi: 10.1016/j.clbc.2013.02.014. Epub 2013 Jun 28.

The validity and utility of the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory in patients with breast cancer: evidence from the symptom outcomes and practice patterns data from the eastern cooperative oncology group

Tito R Mendoza  1 , Fengmin Zhao, Charles S Cleeland, Lynne I Wagner, Linda J Patrick-Miller, Michael J Fisch
Affiliations

The validity and utility of the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory in patients with breast cancer: evidence from the symptom outcomes and practice patterns data from the eastern cooperative oncology group

Tito R Mendoza et al. Clin Breast Cancer. 2013 Oct.

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: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group; M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory; Patient-reported outcome; Symptom assessment; Validation.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Sensitivity of the MDASI. (A) Change in Severity for 19 MDASI Symptoms by Patient-Reported Change in QOL. (B) Change in Severity for 6 MDASI Interference Items by Patient-Reported Change in QOL. Abbreviations: MDASI = M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory; QOL = quality of life.
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References

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