Preference-based utility scores for adverse events associated with the treatment of gynecologic cancers.

OBJECTIVE: Our goals were to (1) define a set of descriptive health states related to adverse events (AEs) associated with gynecologic cancer treatment with radical surgery and chemoradiation and (2) derive a set of quality of life-related utility scores corresponding to these health states. METHODS: We developed a list of health states for grade 3/4 AEs related to gynecologic cancer treatment. Using the visual analog scale score and time trade-off (TTO) methods, valuation of each health state was obtained through interviews of 60 volunteers (15 cervical cancer survivors treated with surgery and/or chemoradiation and 45 women without a cancer diagnosis). Health states were ranked by mean/median TTO scores. Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to compare central tendencies related to patient and volunteer characteristics. RESULTS: Patients and volunteers agreed on their preference rankings, with highest preference given to infection (median TTO = 1.0) and thrombosis (median TTO = 0.97). Lowest preference was assigned to radiation proctitis (median TTO = 0.87) and gastrointestinal fistula formation (median TTO = 0.83). Utility scores for the majority of health states were not significantly associated with age, race, parity, patient or volunteer status, history of abnormal Pap smear, stage of cervical cancer diagnosis, or personal experience of a serious treatment-related AE. CONCLUSIONS: This study helps establish preferences and quality-of-life utility scores for health states related to toxicities from surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy for gynecologic cancer treatment. Such information can be used to inform medical decision making/counseling and may be applied to future comparative effectiveness models in which radical surgery and/or chemoradiation are considered.

Utility scores and treatment preferences for clinical early-stage cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To determine utility scores for health states relevant to the treatment of early-stage, high-risk cervical cancer. METHODS: Seven descriptive health states incorporating the physical and emotional aspects of medical treatment, recovery, and prognosis were developed. Forty-five female volunteers valuated each health state using the visual analogue score (VAS) and time trade off (TTO) methods. Treatment options were ranked by mean and median TTO scores. The 95% confidence intervals were calculated to determine the statistical significance of ranking preferences. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to compare central tendencies related to age, race, parity, and subject history of abnormal cervical cytology. RESULTS: VAS and TTO scores were highly correlated. Volunteers ranked minimally invasive radical hysterectomy with low-risk features as most preferred (mean TTO = 0.96; median TTO = 1.00) and aborted radical hysterectomy followed by chemoradiation as least preferred (mean TTO = 0.69; median TTO = 0.83). Health states that included radical surgery were ranked higher than those that included chemoradiation, either in the adjuvant or primary setting. When survival was comparable, volunteers rated radical hysterectomy with high-risk pathology followed by adjuvant chemoradiation (mean TTO = 0.78; median TTO = 0.92; 95% CI: 0.69-0.87) similarly to chemoradiation alone (mean TTO = 0.76; median TTO 0.90; 95% CI: 0.66-0.86; p = NS). Utility scores for the majority of health states were not significantly associated with age, race, parity, or subject history of abnormal cervical cytology. CONCLUSION: Subjects consistently preferred surgical excision to treat early-stage, high-risk cervical cancer and chose a minimally invasive approach. Such utility scores can be used to incorporate quality-of-life effects into comparative-effectiveness models for cervical cancer.