Original Article

You have full text access to this OnlineOpen article

Measuring the side effects of taxane therapy in oncology

The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–taxane (FACT-taxane)

  1. David Cella Ph.D.1,†,*,
  2. Amy Peterman Ph.D.1,
  3. Stacie Hudgens M.A.1,
  4. Kimberly Webster M.A.1,
  5. Mark A. Socinski M.D.2

Article first published online: 20 JUN 2003

DOI: 10.1002/cncr.11578

Issue

Cancer

Cancer

Volume 98, Issue 4, pages 822–831, 15 August 2003

Additional Information

How to Cite

Cella, D., Peterman, A., Hudgens, S., Webster, K. and Socinski, M. A. (2003), Measuring the side effects of taxane therapy in oncology. Cancer, 98: 822–831. doi: 10.1002/cncr.11578

Author Information

  1. 1

    Center on Outcomes, Research and Education (CORE), Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, and Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois

  2. 2

    Multidisciplinary Thoracic Oncology Program, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

  1. †

    Fax: (847) 570-8033

*Center on Outcomes, Research and Education (CORE), Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, 1001 University Place, Suite 100, Evanston, IL 60201

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 1 AUG 2003
  2. Article first published online: 20 JUN 2003
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 9 MAY 2003
  4. Manuscript Revised: 21 APR 2003
  5. Manuscript Received: 5 FEB 2003

Funded by

  • Bristol Myers-Squibb
  • Pharmacia
  • Astra-Zeneca
  • Aventis Pharmaceuticals

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (110K)

Keywords:

  • quality of life (QOL);
  • taxane therapy;
  • neurotoxicity;
  • peripheral neuropathy

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Cancer chemotherapy with some of the taxane class of agents can be associated with significant neurotoxicity, arthralgias, myalgias, and skin changes that may offset the therapeutic benefits of taxane use.

METHODS

The authors developed and tested a set of questions to assess these important side effects of taxane therapy from the patient's perspective. The current study evaluated the taxane subscale of the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT) measurement system. Reliability, validity, and responsiveness to expected change were evaluated in the context of an ongoing clinical trial comparing four cycles of carboplatin plus paclitaxel with a strategy of carboplatin plus paclitaxel until disease progression in patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC).

RESULTS

The 16-item Taxane subscale score and the 11-item peripheral neuropathy subset both demonstrated excellent internal consistency and concurrent validity, and the scores worsened as one would predict during a 12-week treatment course of taxane therapy. Results of the psychometric analyses supported the use of this subscale for measuring the unwanted adverse consequences of effective cancer therapies. Measuring the patient perception of treatment side effects also allowed a preliminary exploration of the relative quality of life (QOL) impact of symptom relief and treatment toxicity. The results indicated that toxicity and symptom improvement may make relatively equivalent contributions to total QOL as measured by the summary score from a multidimensional QOL instrument, the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–General. However, symptom status and improvement appear to play a stronger role than taxane toxicity in patients' global rating of their QOL.

CONCLUSIONS

Future research might examine this question of competing benefits as a potential aid to decision-making regarding the administration of toxic therapies in the setting of advanced disease. Cancer 2003;98:822–31. © 2003 American Cancer Society.

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (110K)