New Developments in the Use of Patient-Reported Outcomes in Cancer Patients Undergoing Immunotherapies

Abstract

In a previous chapter, how best to measure symptoms was discussed, the desirable properties of a psychometrically valid symptom assessment tool were listed, available symptom assessment tools were reviewed, methods to assist in the interpretation of patient-reported outcomes (PRO) data were provided, and the current use of PROs in immunotherapy was described. Two areas for further research were also identified. These two areas were (1) deciding on the frequency of administration of symptom assessment and (2) determining the adequacy of the chosen symptom list to cover both known and unknown effects of immunotherapy. This brief update provides new developments on these two critical issues that are of significant concerns to researchers and clinicians who are investigating the use of immunotherapies either singly or in combination in cancer patients.