Publications

Evaluating the measurement properties of the 26-item Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC-26) with a multicenter cohort

Evaluating the measurement properties of the 26-item Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC-26) with a multicenter cohort

 2020 Apr; 14(4): 111–117.
Published online 2019 Oct 18. doi: 10.5489/cuaj.5997
PMCID: PMC7124185
PMID: 31702548

Evaluating the measurement properties of the 26-item Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC-26) with a multicenter cohort

Abstract

Introduction

We aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the 26-item Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC-26) for measuring the quality of life in patients treated for localized prostate cancer. The EPIC-26 is a patient-reported outcome instrument recommended for use with patients treated for localized prostate cancer.

Methods

This study is based on data collected prospectively between September 2014 and February 2017 in Alberta, Canada. Men were treated with either radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy and administered the EPIC-26. Responses to the EPIC-26 were the primary outcome. Construct validity was measured using confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability was measured using Chronbach’s alpha and item-total correlation. Ceiling and floor effects were also investigated.

Results

EPIC-26 response data from 205 participants (prostatectomy =138; radiation=60; both=7) were used in this analysis. The EPIC-26 was administered an average of 33.8 weeks after treatment. The confirmatory factor analysis model did not meet the threshold for adequate fit. Several items had near-zero factor loadings and were non-significant. Four out of the EPIC-26’s five domains met the acceptable reliability threshold based on Cronbach’s alpha. Ceiling effects were observed in four out of five domains.

Conclusions

The EPIC-26 demonstrated poor construct validity, adequate reliability, and large ceiling effects. Several issues were observed, suggesting that the instrument’s five domains were not well-defined by their respective items. The original EPIC’s conceptual framework should be reviewed and the shortened instrument revised to improve its performance for measuring post-treatment quality of life.

Thank you for attending the APCaRI Fall Symposium 2022!

The APCaRI Fall Symposium 2022, held November 18-19, was a huge success! We thank our keynote speakers Dr. Chris Wallis, Dr. Paul Boutros, and Mr. Vijay Pandurangan for joining us in beautiful Banff, Alberta.  The keynote and APCaRI member speakers gave inspiring and informative talks.

We are especially appreciative of the participants representing patient advocacy groups, urologists, oncologists, funders, clinicians, trainees, and researchers who engaged in lively and productive conversation!

This year APCaRI also celebrated the many years of service from outgoing APCaRI Co-chairs Drs John Lewis and Eric Hyndman and welcomed incoming Co-chairs, Drs Adam Kinnaird, and Steven Yip.

Thank you again to our sponsors Astellas, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Janssen, Merck, and Pfizer who made this symposium possible.

APCaRI looks forward to seeing all of you again soon!

 

- Perrin Beatty