An Important Tool in Lymphedema Management: Validation of the Turkish Version of the Gynecologic Cancer Lymphedema Questionnaire

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Abakay H., Abdulrezzak U., Akbayrak T.

GYNECOLOGY OBSTETRICS & REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE (GORM), cilt.29, sa.2, ss.128-137, 2022 (TRDizin)

Özet

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to research the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the gynecologic

cancer lymphedema questionnaire for individuals with gynecologic cancer.

STUDY DESIGN: The study included 60 patients who underwent gynecologic cancer surgery with lower

limb lymphedema in the lymphedema group and 30 who underwent gynecologic cancer surgery without

lower limb lymphedema in the non-lymphedema group. The Turkish adaptation of the gynecologic cancer

lymphedema questionnaire was completed by considering the cultural adaptation process. For the

evaluation of lymphedema, circumference measurement, skin layer thickness, and lymphoscintigraphy

assessments were performed. The intraclass correlation coefficient was calculated for gynecologic cancer

lymphedema questionnaire test-retest reliability, the Cronbach alpha was calculated for internal consistency

reliability and the criteria validity method was used for survey validity.

RESULTS: The symptom subsections and total score of the gynecologic cancer lymphedema questionnaire,

the intraclass correlation values for test-retest points were 0.780, 0.968, 0.695, 0.945, 0.896,

0.945, and 0.947. The Cronbach α values for internal consistency were 0.928, 0.824, 0.656, 0.429,

0.923 and 0.948 for the subsections. Criteria validity was used for the validity analysis and statistically

significant (p<0.05) positive correlations were determined between skin fold thickness measurements

and total points on the scale in the lymphedema group for values at the midpoint of the right and left

tibial shaft (r=0.336, r=0.284).

CONCLUSION: The gynecologic cancer lymphedema questionnaire was determined to be a reliable

and valid scale to differentiate patients with lower limb lymphedema from those without lower limb lymphedema

in a Turkish female population.