Table 1.
Study and Scale Characteristics.
| Author/ Year |
N | Scale Name | # of itemsa | Constructs measured |
Rating | QOL aspect assessed |
Frequency of administration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bennett (2009)37 |
190 | Skin Assessment Form-Patient Observations | 4 | -Erythema -Desquamation -area of skin reaction -any additional symptoms |
Ratings for erythema and desquamation were based on the RTOG scale (grades 0–3). | PWB | Weekly |
| Berthelet (2004)4 |
27 | Skin Toxicity Assessment Tool (STAT) | 5 | -burning -itchiness -pulling -tenderness -other complaints |
0–5 visual analog scale | PWB | Weekly and 2 weeks after RT completion |
| Bourgeois et al. (2008)10 |
20 | Qualitative assessment by the patient | 4 | -feeling of tightness -itching -feeling of induration of the skin -global assessment of skin softening |
Each item was rated as: yes/no 0–10 VAS 0=not at all 10=enormously |
PWB | On enrollment; after 15 interventions or for control patients, 35 days; and one month after the end the intervention or for control patients, 65 days |
| Delaney et al. (1997)16 |
10 | Patient assessment | 1 | -Discomfort level | Linear analogue self-assessment scales (LASA) | PWB | Daily while participating in the trial (follow-up until end of RT or moist desquamation healed) |
| Glees et al. (1979)38 |
20 | Daily record card | 5 | -soreness -burning/tingling -itching -redness -peeling |
0 if not present 1 if present |
PWB | Weekly |
| Graham et al. (2004)39 | 58 | 5-point Likert scales | 2 | -pain -pruritus |
1(minimum) - 5(maximum) |
PWB | Weekly (until skin reaction cleared or a maximum of 12 assessments) |
| Halyard et al. (2004)40 |
15 | Self-rated cosmesis | 1 | -cosmesis | Excellent, good, fair, or poor | PWB | NR |
| Heggie et al. (2002)41 |
208 | Subjective ratings based on the Morbidity Rating Scale42 | 2 | -itching -pain |
None, mild, moderate, or severe | PWB | Weekly (starting on Day 1 of treatment) and then 2 weeks after treatment |
| Knobf & Sun (2005)3 |
30 | An adapted version of the Symptom Profile (SP)(Teeple, 1987, unpublished master’s thesis) |
13 |
-fatigue -skin changes -sore throat -sleep difficulties -anorexia -indigestion -sensory changes -nausea -arm edema -breast edema -difficulty with arm mobility -other problems -changes in daily activity during treatment |
5-point Likert-type scale: 1–5 1=not bad at all 5=extremely bad |
PWB, FWB | Weekly during radiation and monthly for 3 months after treatment |
| MacBride et al. (2008)12 | 8 |
Radiation induced skin reaction assessment (RISRAS) | 4 | -tenderness/ discomfort/pain of the skin -itching of the skin -burning sensation of the skin -extent to which skin reaction and symptoms have affected day to day activities |
0–3 0=not at all 1=a little 2=quite a bit 3=very much |
PWB, FWB | Weekly during RT and weekly after completing treatment for a maximum of 4 weeks |
| Daily symptom diary cards |
4 | -pain -itching -burning -sleep disturbance -impact of the radiation on their skin reaction |
Insufficient information | PWB, FWB | Daily | ||
| Macmillan et al. (2007)43 | 226 | Symptom Diary Cards | 4 | -pain -itching -burning -sleep disturbance |
Likert scale items scored as: 0=not at all 1=a little (or equivalent) 2=quite a lot15 |
PWB, FWB | Daily |
| Pommier et al. (2004)44 | 254 | Pain visual analog Scale | 1 | -pain | 10 cm (numerical and verbal anchors not reported) | PWB | Weekly |
| Questionnaire to assess satisfaction with pain and dermatitis relief | Insuff-icient infor-mation | -satisfaction with prevention of pain - satisfaction with prevention of erythema |
Insufficient information | PWB, Treatment Satisfaction | At the end of the study | ||
| Porock & Kristjanson (1999)45 | 126 | Visual Analog Scale | 1 | -pain | 0=no pain 10=worst pain the patient could imagine |
PWB | Weekly |
| Primavera et al. (2006)46 | 20 | Patients’ view of itch and pain | 2 | -itching -pain |
Visual Numerical Scale (0cm-10cm) |
PWB | Before RT, weekly during RT, for 2 weeks after RT completion |
| Roper et al. (2004)47 | 20 | Itchiness | 1 | -itching | 0– 3 scale (none, faint, moderate, strong) | PWB | At the beginning of RT, at doses of 30/30.6 Gy and 50/50.4 Gy |
| Schlappack (2004)48 | 25 | Visual Analog Scale | 1 | -itching | 100mm length (0mm = no problem, 100 mm = severe problem) | PWB | Before prescription of homeopathic medicine and at follow-up evaluation |
| Schmuth et al. (2002)23 | 17 | Skindex49 | 61 | 5 subscales: -discomfort -limitations -cognitive -social -emotional (including depression, fear, embarrassment, and anger) |
Items 1– 48 rated: never, rarely, sometimes, often, all the time Other items rated: strongly disagree, disagree, slightly disagree, slightly agree, agree, strongly agree |
Skin-Disease Specific Health-Related QOL | At the beginning of RT and for approximately 8 weeks post RT |
| Schnur & Montgomery (2008)50 |
2 | Visual Analog Scale | 1 | -discomfort | 100 mm visual analog scale ranging from 0–100. | PWB | Weekly during RT |
| Szumacher et al. (2001)51 | 60 | Self-administered questionnaire that evaluated skin symptoms. | 4 | -dryness or itchiness -pain or soreness -blistering or breakdown of the skin -fitting of brassiere or other clothing |
1–4 scale where 1 = not at all and 4 = very much | PWB, FWB | Before RT, weekly during RT, and 2 and 4 weeks post-RT |
| Wells et al. (2004)15 | 226 | Patient diary card | 5 | -pain -itching -burning -sleep disturbance -degree of desquamation -degree of erythema |
Likert scale items scored as: 0=not at all 1=a little (or equivalent) 2=quite a lot Rated from 0–3 0=no dry or broken skin 3=broken and/or weeping in large patches Insufficient information |
PWB, FWB | Weekly during RT, until at least 2 weeks post RT or until skin had healed Patients were encouraged to fill in the diary card on a daily basis |
| Dermatology life quality index (DLQI) 52, 53 |
10 | Domains include: -itching/stinging/pain -embarrassment -domestic duties -clothing -social/leisure activities -sports -work/study -relationships -sex -skin treatments |
Each question is scored from 0–3 0=not at all 3=very much |
PWB, EWB, FWB, Body image, Social/Sexual well-being, Treatment Satisfaction | Weekly until at least 2 weeks after completion of RT or until any skin reaction had totally healed | ||
| Williams et al. (1996)54 | 191 | Skin reaction questionnaire | 3 | -maximum dermatitis severity -time to occurrence of severe dermatitis -duration of severe dermatitis |
Severity rated as none, mild, moderate, or severe | PWB | At study initiation and weekly until 1 month after completion of RT |
Note: EWB = Emotional Well-Being; FWB = Functional Well-Being; NR = not reported; PWB = Physical Well-Being; QOL = Quality of Life; RT = Radiotherapy; RTOG = Radiation Therapy Oncology Group