Validity of the memorial symptom assessment scale-short form psychological subscales in advanced cancer patients.

Abstract

The Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale-Short Form (MSAS-SF) is designed to evaluate physical and psychological symptom burden in advanced cancer patients. There are no current data assessing the validity of the MSAS-SF psychological symptom scores when compared with anxiety and depression. This observational cross-sectional study was designed to determine the relationship between the MSAS-SF subscales and the presence of anxiety and depression. Advanced cancer patients attending a U.K. oncology center completed the MSAS-SF and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. One hundred twenty patients participated in the study. There was an association between the presence of anxiety and depression and the MSAS-SF global distress index. There was no association between the presence of anxiety and depression and the MSAS-SF physical symptom subscale. The MSAS-SF psychological symptom subscale was more closely correlated with anxiety than depression. These results support the validity of the MSAS-SF global distress index and psychological subscales in the assessment of patients with anxiety and depressive disorders.