VALIDATION OF THE CZECH VERSION OF THE FACT-B SCALE FOR MEASURING QUALITY OF LIFE IN BREAST CANCER PATIENTS

Improvements in the outcomes of cancer treatment have drawn more attention to longitudinal monitoring of the quality of life (QOL). Functional assessment of cancer therapy (FACT) is a standard instrument for QOL measurement in cancer patients; a variant FACT-B is used for breast cancer patients. The aim of this study is to report the validation results of FACT-B translation to the Czech language; it is the first validation ever of a QOL instrument for breast cancer patients in the Czech Republic. A total of 106 breast cancer patients were consecutively recruited. Out of those, 23 patients were selected for sensitivity testing and followed prospectively, while the remaining 83 were selected for psychometric analysis. The validation results are similar to other validations of national FACT-B translations with a good reliability and sensitivity, and a reliable internal structure after translation. The analysis of its internal structure revealed the hidden factors attributable to subscales of FACT-B, and proved the cross-cultural relevance of the Czech translation. Our results suggest that the Czech translation of FACT-B is a reliable and valid instrument for QOL measurement for breast cancer patients in the Czech Republic, and that it can be used in future research and/or clinical practice.