Table 3.
Results of the methodological quality assessment
| Sampling | Selection of QoL instrument | Data collection process | Response rate | Group comparison | Clarity of reporting | Determination of prognostic factor QoL | |||||||||
| Studies | B | O | I | C | M | G | H | E | A | D | F | J | K | L | Quality score |
| Arraras 2008a16 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
| Browall 200817 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| Crivellari 200018 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| (PACIS) | |||||||||||||||
| Dees 200019 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| Hurria 200620 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| Kornblith 201121 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| Watters 200322 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
| Perrone 201523 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| Gállego Pérez-Larraya 201124 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| Keime-Guibert 200725 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
| Minniti 200926 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| Minniti 201327 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| Mohile 201128 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| (MD Anderson Symptom Inventory) | |||||||||||||||
| Arraras 2008b29 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Bouvier 200830 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| (only age and cancer diagnosis were reported) | (only among 30 respondents undergoing curative surgical resection for stage III cancer with 11 received adjuvant CT was reported) | (no information on dosage) | (only graphical information was reported) | (only graphical information was reported) | |||||||||||
| Chang 201231 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Caffo 200332 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| (both diary care and EORTC-QLQ C30 were used but only diary data was reported) | |||||||||||||||
| Park 201333 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11 |
| (only graphical information was reported) | (only graphical information was reported) | ||||||||||||||
A, sociodemographic and medical data is described (eg, age, race, employment status, educational status, tumour stage at diagnosis, etc); B, inclusion and/or exclusion criteria are formulated; C, the process of data collection is described (eg, interview or self-report etc); D, the type of cancer treatment is described; E, the results are compared between two groups or more (eg, healthy population, groups with different cancer treatment or age, comparison with time at diagnosis, etc); F, mean or median and range or SD of time since diagnosis or treatment is given; G, participation and response rates for patient groups have to be described and have to be >75%; H, information is presented about patient/disease characteristics of responders and non-responders or if there is no selective response; I, a standardised or valid quality of life questionnaire is used; J, results are described for quality of life and for the physical, psychological and social domain; K, mean, median, SD or percentages are reported for the most important outcome measures (QoL); L, an attempt is made to find a set of determinants with the highest prognostic value (QoL); M, patient signed an informed consent form before study participation; n, no; O, the degree of selection of the patient sample is described.