BACKGROUND: Our goal is to linguistically validate the Greek translation of the M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory Index - Head and Neck Module. PATIENTS & METHODS: Following forward and backward translation of the previously validated head and neck cancer specific items of the English MDASI-HN into Greek (G-MDASI-HN), it was administered along with a cognitive debriefing to head and neck cancer patients able to read and understand Greek. Individual and group responses are presented using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: From 02/2009 through 06/2009 30 subjects with head and neck cancer completed the G-MDASI-HN followed by completion of the accompanying cognitive debriefing. Ninety-eight percent of the individual G-MDASI-HN items were completed. "Voice" item was not completed by 5 patients. Average time to complete the G-MDASI-HN was 13.3 minutes. Average ease of completion was rated at 1.21 on a 0 to 10 scale with "0" being "very easy" and "10" being "very hard". Only 10% of patients reported trouble completing any item, namely "distress" and "numbness". CONCLUSIONS: The Greek-MDASI-HN is linguistically valid and a patient-reported instrument that can be used both in outcomes research and as a clinical tool.
Keywords: Greek MDASI-HN; head and neck cancer; patient symptoms; patient-reported questionnaire.