Measuring health-related quality of life in cancer patients.

The measurement of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is being increasingly advocated in healthcare practice, particularly in relation to cancer care. The use of patient-reported health instruments has been recommended in Lord Darzi's review of the NHS. Consequently, nurses have to be aware of the most reliable and valid QoL measurement tools for given situations and conditions. The aim of this article is to review the most common HRQoL tools for use in the oncology setting, highlighting the specific properties of each instrument.