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Original research
Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Gynecologic Cancer Lymphedema Questionnaire and the Lower Extremity Lymphedema Screening Questionnaire
  1. Pernille Bjerre Trent1,2,
  2. Ragnhild Sørum Falk3,
  3. Anne Cathrine Staff2,4,
  4. Doris Jorde5 and
  5. Ane Gerda Eriksson1
  1. 1Department of Gynecological Oncology, Divison of Cancer Medicine, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
  2. 2Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
  3. 3Oslo Centre of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Research Support Centre, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
  4. 4Division of Obstetrics and Gyneacology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
  5. 5Faculty of Education, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
  1. Correspondence to Dr Ane Gerda Eriksson; aneeri{at}ous-hf.no

Abstract

Objective There is a paucity of international data regarding self-reported lower extremity lymphedema and quality of life after surgery for gynecological cancer. Validated questionnaires are emerging, but translated versions are lacking. Cross-cultural adaptation is important to reduce the risk of introducing bias into a study.

Objective To translate and culturally adapt the Gynecologic Cancer Lymphedema Questionnaire and the Lower Extremity Lymphedema Screening Questionnaire for a Norwegian population.

Methods Permission to use the original English versions of the Gynecologic Cancer Lymphedema Questionnaire and the Lower Extremity Lymphedema Screening Questionnaire for translation was obtained. The questionnaires were translated using a procedure based on standard guidelines, including forward translation by native speakers of the target language, synthesis, back translation, and review. Seventeen patients from the Norwegian Radium Hospital gynecological cancer outpatient clinic, all expected to have stable disease, were invited for questionnaire test–retest by completing the same questionnaires twice at 3–4-week intervals. Internal consistency was assessed by calculating Cronbach’s alpha. Test–retest reliability was assessed using an intra-class correlation coefficient.

Results Twelve patients completed the questionnaires twice. Cronbach’s alpha was 0.75 for the Gynecologic Cancer Lymphedema Questionnaire and 0.89 for the Lower Extremity Lymphedema Screening Questionnaire. The intra-class correlation coefficient was 0.86 for the Gynecologic Cancer Lymphedema Questionnaire and 0.91 for the Lower Extremity Lymphedema Screening Questionnaire.

Conclusions Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of these internationally validated patient-reported outcomes questionnaires for survivors of lower extremity lymphedema in gynecological cancer was feasible. The Norwegian translation of the Gynecologic Cancer Lymphedema Questionnaire and the Lower Extremity Lymphedema Screening Questionnaire showed acceptable internal consistency and the test–retest reliability was excellent.

  • quality of life (PRO)/palliative care
  • lymph nodes
  • lymphatic system
  • postoperative care
  • gynecologic surgical procedures

Data availability statement

Data are available upon reasonable request. Data for the participants in the pilot test are available upon reasonable request.

https://doi.org/10.1136/ijgc-2022-003979

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    Data availability statement

    Data are available upon reasonable request. Data for the participants in the pilot test are available upon reasonable request.

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    Footnotes

    • Twitter @BjerreTrent, @agz_eriksson

    • Contributors PBT: conception, data acquisition, data management, statistical analysis, critical analysis, drafting/final editing. RSF: statistical analysis, critical analysis, drafting/final editing. ACS: supervision, critical analysis, drafting/final editing. DJ: critical analysis, drafting/final editing. AGE: conception, critical analysis, drafting/final editing, supervision, guarantor.

    • Funding This study was funded by Oslo University Hospital.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

    • Supplemental material This content has been supplied by the author(s). It has not been vetted by BMJ Publishing Group Limited (BMJ) and may not have been peer-reviewed. Any opinions or recommendations discussed are solely those of the author(s) and are not endorsed by BMJ. BMJ disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on the content. Where the content includes any translated material, BMJ does not warrant the accuracy and reliability of the translations (including but not limited to local regulations, clinical guidelines, terminology, drug names and drug dosages), and is not responsible for any error and/or omissions arising from translation and adaptation or otherwise.