Can electronic web-based technology improve quality of life data collection? Analysis of Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 0828.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Missing data are a significant problem in clinical trials, particularly for quality of life (QOL), which cannot be obtained retrospectively. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of an electronic web-based strategy for QOL data collection in a cooperative group radiation oncology trial setting.

Methods and materials

Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 0828 was a prospective National Cancer Institute cooperative group companion study of RTOG-0415, a randomized study of conventional versus hypofractionated radiation. Forty-nine English-speaking patients with favorable risk prostate cancer who enrolled on RTOG-0415 consented to using web-based technology for completing QOL. In RTOG-0415, using paper forms, the 6-month QOL compliance rate was 52%.

SUBMITTER: Movsas B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4007315 | biostudies-literature | 2014 May-Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature