Validation of the Patient Neurotoxicity Questionnaire for Patients Suffering From Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Greek

Purpose: The Patient Neurotoxicity Questionnaire (PNQ) represents a diagnostic tool concerning patients with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). The application of such a tool in the Greek clinical praxis requires validation. Methods: Validation consists of three stages - translation, reverse translation, and patient application. Hundred oncologic patients were assessed by comparing the PNQ to the National Cancer Institute-Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTCAE) at the chemotherapy onset and second, fourth, and sixth sessions. The diagnostic tool's specific requirements (compliance, validity, concordance, sensitivity, specificity, reliability) were statistically evaluated. Results: Differences between translated texts and between the reverse translation and the original were considered negligible. At the second, fourth, and sixth session compliance was 98%, 95%, and 93% while Cronbach’s α was 0,57 0,69, and 0,81, respectively. Cohen’s weighted κ was 0,67 and 0,58, Spearman’s ρ was 0,7 and 0,98, while the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was 1 and 0,9 for the sensory and the motor part, respectively. The variance’s linear regression analysis confirmed CIPN worsening over time (P<0.0001). Discussion: The Greek version remains close to the original English version. Compliance rates reflect easy PNQ applications. Cohen’s κ values highlight the physicians’ tension to underestimate the patients’ condition. Spearman’s ρ, Cronbach’s α, and AUC values reflect good validity, reliability, and specificity of the PNQ respectively. Finally, the linear analysis confirmed the PNQ sensitivity over time. Conclusions: The PNQ validation in Greek adds a crucial tool to the physicians' armamentarium. It can now delineate the necessary information to modify the chemotherapy and analgesic treatment regimens at both preventive and acute levels.