Table 1.
Selected Instruments Used to Measure Cancer-Related Fatigue17
| Scale | Description |
|---|---|
| Unidimensional* | |
| FACT-F18 | 13-item standalone questionnaire that is part of larger FACIT series of quality-of-life and tumor-specific symptom questionnaires |
| Studied in mixed cancer population | |
| Dimension: severity | |
| EORTC QLQ C3019 | 30-item quality-of-life questionnaire with three-item fatigue subscale (independently validated as separate fatigue measure) |
| Psychometric properties weaker than more extensive scales, but it is brief and easy to use | |
| Independently assessed in lung cancer, bone marrow transplantation, and metastatic cancer | |
| Dimension: severity | |
| POMS-F20 | 65-item questionnaire with seven-item fatigue subscale |
| Assessed in both noncancer and cancer populations | |
| Has defined minimum clinically significant difference | |
| Dimension: severity | |
| Multidimensional† | |
| BFI15 | Nine-item numeric scale |
| Validated for use in mixed cancer population | |
| Reasonable psychometric properties but limited ongoing use | |
| Cutoff scores to differentiate between mild, medium, and severe fatigue, but it has not been validated and is likely to be of use for screening purposes only | |
| Dimensions: severity and interference | |
| Chalder Fatigue Scale (also called FQ)21 | 11-item scale |
| Validated in general practice setting but widely used for chronic fatigue syndrome | |
| Brief and easy to administer | |
| Dimensions: physical and mental | |
| FSI22 | 13-item scale |
| Validated in breast cancer population and mixed cancers | |
| Reasonable psychometric properties, but there is some concern regarding its test/retest reliability | |
| Dimensions: severity, duration, and interference | |
| MFI-2023 | 20-item scale |
| Designed for use in patients with cancer | |
| Validated in Army trainees and physicians undertaking shift work as well as in patients with cancer | |
| Dimensions: general fatigue, physical fatigue, mental fatigue, reduced motivation, and reduced activity | |
| MFSI-3024 | 30-item scale |
| Investigated in patients with breast cancer undergoing treatment and in mixed cancer population | |
| Favorable psychometric properties | |
| Dimensions: general fatigue, physical fatigue, emotional fatigue, mental fatigue, and vigor | |
| Revised Piper Fatigue Scale25 | 22-item revised version of original scale |
| Validated in breast cancer survivors | |
| Dimensions: behavioral, severity, affective meaning, sensory, cognitive/mood | |
| Schwartz Cancer Fatigue Scale26 | 28-item scale |
| Validated in mixed cancer population undergoing treatment | |
| Psychometric properties examined in mixed cancer population | |
| Limited use; hence, its usefulness despite extensive psychometric data must therefore be questioned | |
| Dimensions: total score and physical and perceptual subscores |
Abbreviations: BFI, Brief Fatigue Inventory; EORTC QLQ C30, European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality-of-Life Questionnaire Core 30; FACIT, Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy; FACT-F, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Fatigue; FQ, Fatigue Questionnaire; FSI, Fatigue Symptom Inventory; MFI-20, 20-item Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory; MFSI-30, Multidimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory 30-item short form; POMS-F, Profile of Mood States–Fatigue.
*
Tend to measure physical impact of fatigue.
†
Tend to measure cognitive or affective symptoms.