What metrics are used to measure quality of life in prostate cancer patients? Are there tools currently being used or developed to help with this?

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MarkLitwinMDMPH (Physician - Urology (Verified) ) - 06 / 19 / 2012

In recent years, researchers have developed a number of valid measures of quality of life in men treated for prostate cancer. Most are used in research settings, but some have been introduced into clinical use in actual patients. The outcomes that are most important to men treated for prostate cancer are sexual, urinary, and bowel function. Erections are often measured with a questionnaire called the Sexual Health Index for Men (SHIM). Urinary symptoms are often measured with the American Urological Association Symptom Index (AUASI). Bowel symptoms are usually measured with a questionnaire developed by the radiation oncologists. More comprehensive measurement of these outcomes can also be carried out with the UCLA Prostate Cancer Index (PCI) or the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC), as well as a host of other metrics.

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