ArticleBMC medical research methodology2025
A scoping review of statistical methods used to report EORTC QLQ-C30 quality of life scores measured longitudinally.
Article in BMC medical research methodology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed.
- Methodology of analysis of cognitive impairment in longitudinal randomized clinical trials in oncology: a scoping review.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Article
- Methodological considerations in longitudinal symptom assessment during chemotherapy.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Article
- Analysis of quality of life and reflux oesophagitis following Billroth II and Roux-en-Y gastrointestinal reconstruction for gastric cancer.World journal of gastrointestinal surgery · 2026Article
- Impact on Clinical- and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measures of an Organ Preservation-Based Therapeutic Strategy in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer: The FOREST Project.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Study on the effects of statin use in immunotherapy for elderly cancer patients on immune-related adverse reactions and quality of life.American journal of cancer research · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThe European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (QLQ-C30) is often used in cancer studies to assess patient reported quality of life over time. A number of challenges are faced when analysing scores derived from this questionnaire, and a multitude of statistical methods can be used. Whilst methods exist to overcome issues such as non-independence of repeated measurements and informative dropout, it is unclear how often these are implemented in practice. The aim of this scoping review was to comprehensively describe the statistical methods used to analyse longitudinal quality of life scores derived from the QLQ-C30 questionnaire.
methodsTwo databases, MEDLINE and Embase, were searched for randomised controlled trials and prospective observational studies presenting statistical analyses of QLQ-C30 scores collected over time. Only studies published in English between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2022 were included. Studies not reporting the statistical methods used were excluded. A REDCap database was developed to store extracted information and results are presented as descriptive summaries.
resultsTwo-hundred and seventy-one eligible studies were identified including 161 parallel group randomised controlled trials and 84 cohort studies. A linear mixed effects model was the most utilized analysis method, applied in 121/271 (45%) studies, followed by time to event analyses (54/271, 20%) and t-tests (44/271, 16%). Nearly one third of studies did not apply any longitudinal analysis method (82/271, 30%). Missing data due to death was accounted for in 23/271 (8%) studies. Statistical approaches did not differ greatly depending on the design of the study.
conclusionsThere is no current consensus on the statistical method to analyse repeated QLQ-C30 scores. Many studies continue to ignore the longitudinal structure of repeated measures data, which could impact the interpretation of the data and conclusions drawn.
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