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Reliability and validity of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Colorectal (FACT-C) quality of life instrument

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Abstract

Background: This paper describes the development of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Colorectal (FACT-C) – a questionnaire assessing quality of life concerns pertinent to colorectal cancer patients. This self-report instrument combines specific concerns related to colorectal cancer with concerns that are common to all cancer patients as assessed with the FACT-General (FACT-G). Method: Three separate and distinct validation samples were used with different ethnic and stage of disease compositions. Results: Results suggest that the FACT-C is a reliable and valid measure in both its English and Spanish language versions. Specifically, the FACT-C evidenced good internal consistency reliability and concurrent validity, as well as an ability to distinguish between groups based on functional status and extent of disease. The FACT-C was also found to be sensitive to changes in functional status. Colorectal cancer-specific items form the Colorectal Cancer Subscale (CCS) which was found to have adequate convergent and divergent validity. Internal consistency was adequate in most samples. In addition, the CCS was able to distinguish among groups that differed in functional status and was sensitive to change in functional status. Conclusion: It is recommended that the entire FACT-C (rather than simply the CCS) be used when studying patients with colorectal cancer in order to provide a comprehensive assessment of quality of life. Recommendations are offered concerning the appropriate use of these measures in clinical research and directions for future research with colorectal cancer patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology/Psychiatry Dept., Dakota Clinic, Ltd., 1702 S. University Drive, Fargo, ND, 58108

    Wendy L. Ward

  2. Institute for Health Services Research and Policy Studies, Northwestern University, Center on Outcomes, Research and Education (CORE), Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, 1000 Central Street, Suite101, Evanston, IL, 60201

    Elizabeth A. Hahn & Fei Mo

  3. School of Pharmacy, University of Puerto Rico, GPO Box 5067, San Juan, PR, 00936

    Lesbia Hernandez

  4. Psychological Corporation, 555 Academic Court, San Antonio, TX, 78204-2489

    David S. Tulsky

  5. Institute for Health Services Research and Policy Studies, Northwestern University, Center on Outcomes, Research and Education (CORE), Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, 1000 Central Street, Suite101, Evanston, IL, 60201

    David Cella

Authors
  1. Wendy L. Ward
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  2. Elizabeth A. Hahn
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  3. Fei Mo
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  4. Lesbia Hernandez
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  5. David S. Tulsky
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  6. David Cella
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Ward, W.L., Hahn, E.A., Mo, F. et al. Reliability and validity of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Colorectal (FACT-C) quality of life instrument. Qual Life Res 8, 181–195 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008821826499

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008821826499

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