












































SUPPLEMENTARY TABLE ST1.

Validated PROMs used in the studies included in the systematic review

Questionnaire Abbreviation 
Author (Year 
publication)

Measurement Original Target Population 

36-item Short Form 
Health Survey[1] 

SF-36 (G)
Ware &  

Sherbourne 
(1992)

Physical and mental health status for use in clinical 
practice and research, health policy evaluations 
and general population survey

Medical and general population

12-item Short-Form 
Health Survey[2]

SF-12(G)
Ware et al. 

(1996)

Physical and mental health status for use in clinical 
practice and research, health policy evaluations 
and general population survey

Medical and general population

EORTC Quality of life 
questionnaire[3]a

EORTC QLQ-C30 
(CS)

Aaronson et al. 
(1993) 

Five functional (physical, role, cognitive, emotional, 
and social), three symptom scales and single-item 
symptom measures plus a global health and quality 
of life scale

Patients with cancer 
participating in international 
trials (originally in 
nonresectable lung cancer for 
whom radiotherapy or  
chemotherapy was indicated)

Cancer Rehabilitation 
Evaluation System - 
Short Form[4]

CARES-SF 
(CS)

Schag et al. 
(1991)

Cancer-specific rehabilitation needs and quality 
of life

Patients with cancer (originally 
in colorectal, lung, prostate, 
and breast cancer)

Impact of Events 
Scale[5]

IES 
Disease specific

Horowitz et al. 
(1979)

Psychological stress reactions after any major 
life events (frequency of intrusive thoughts and 
avoidance behaviour)

Healthy adults and frail older 
adults exposed to any specific 
trauma event

Impact of Events Scale 
Revised[6]

IES-R 
Disease specific

Weiss & 
Marmar (1997)

Psychological stress reactions after any major life 
events (Intrusive thoughts,  
avoidance behaviour and hyperarousal)

Healthy and frail older adults 
exposed to any specific trauma

Eastern Cooperative 
Oncology Group 
Performance Status[7]

ECOG (CS)
Oken et al. 

(1982)

Patients’ general well-being and activities of 
daily life (to determine whether they can receive 
chemotherapy, if dose adjustment is necessary and 
to assess the intensity of palliative care) 

Cancer patients candidates  
to receive chemotherapy or  
palliative care

Fear of Cancer 
Recurrence[8]

FCR (CS)
Greenberg et al. 

(1997)
Beliefs and anxiety about fear of cancer recurrence

Cancer survivors (mainly breast 
and leukemia)

General Health 
Questionnaire[9]

GHQ-12 
Condition specific

Goldberg (1978)

General state of health and emotional mental 
health problems/domains of depression, anxiety, 
somatic symptoms, and social withdrawal (current 
psychological distress)

Individuals at risk to have 
or developing psychiatric 
disorders including primary 
care

Hospital Anxiety and 
Depression Scale[10]

HADS 
(Condition 
specific)

Zigmond & 
Snaith (1983)

Anxiety and depression Medical population of patients

List of Threatening 
Experiences 
Questionnaire[11]

LTE-Q 
Condition specific

Brugha & Cragg 
(1990)

12 major stressful life events in the last 6 months 
with established long-term consequences

Individuals with suspicion 
of any stressful situation 
(originally tested in psychiatric 
patients)

Postoperative Quality 
of Recovery Score[12]

QoR-40  
Condition specific

Myles et al. 
(2000)

Quality of recovery after surgery and anaesthesia
Patients undergoing general 
anaesthesia and surgery

Social Problem 
Questionnaire[13]

SPQ  
Condition specific

Corney & Clare 
(1985)

Social functioning (social problems,  
difficulties, and dissatisfaction)

Patients that require social 
assessment 

Visual Analogue  
Scale[14]b

VAS 
Generic

Aitken (1969)
Intensity or frequency of symptoms or satisfaction 
that ranges across a continuum of values from none 
to extreme 

Patients and healthy individuals 
/ general population 

Functional Assessment 
of Cancer Therapy 
-Kidney Symptoms 
Index[15]

FKSI -15 
Cancer specific

Cella et al. 
(2006)

Renal cancer specific symptoms and concerns 
(fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, 
hematuria, pain, pulmonary or urinary symptoms, 
distress or worry

Patients with advanced  
kidney cancer

a  For EORTC QOL C-30 questionnaires, versions 1.0, (+3), 2.0 and 3.0 were used in the different studies. As per instructions in EORTC QLQ C-30 Scoring 
Manual the original publication is cited.  b Used early in the 20th century, popularized by Aitken in 1969 (Guidelines for the Application Scoring and 
Statistical Analysis of VAS) 



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