Overview
The NCCN/FACT Breast Cancer Symptom Index-16 contains cancer–related symptoms and concerns endorsed as high priority by both oncology patients and clinicians. Input on the most important symptoms to monitor during treatment for stage III or IV breast cancer was obtained from 52 patients recruited from National Comprehensive Cancer Network institutions as well as support service organizations. Participating patients shared their top-priority symptoms/concerns through open-ended interviews and symptom checklists. To ensure adequate content coverage, results were evaluated alongside the original version of the FBSI, which was created on the basis of a survey of oncology clinicians at National Comprehensive Cancer Network institutions and items in the FACIT measurement system. In put was also obtained from 10 National Comprehensive Cancer Network oncologists regarding whether symptoms were primarily related to disease or treatment. Results provided support for the NFBSI-16’s internal consistency reliability (α = 0.87) and validity as evidenced by moderate-to strong relationships with expected criteria.
MEASURE NAME:
National Comprehensive Cancer Network/Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Breast Cancer Symptom Index - 16 Item Version (NFBSI-16)
VERSION:
2
NUMBER OF ITEMS:
16
PATIENT POPULATION:
Breast cancer patients 18 years and older
RECALL PERIOD:
Past 7 days
RESPONSE SCALE:
5 point Likert-type scale
DATA COLLECTION:
Paper and electronic
ADMINISTRATION:
Self-administration and interview when applicable
SUBSCALE DOMAINS:
Disease-Related Symptoms – Physical, Disease-Related Symptoms – Emotional, Treatment Side-Effects, Function/Well-Being
TIME FOR COMPLETION:
5-10 minutes
SCORING:
Manual scoring template, some items are reverse scored. Subscale scores and total scores possible.
RELATED MEASURES:
Language Availability
Available translations of the NFBSI-16 can be obtained by registering for permission. Users are not permitted to translate the NFBSI-16 without permission from FACIT.org. Permission from FACIT.org to translate the NFBSI-16 may also be contingent upon timeline expectations and availability of FACIT staff. Translations must undergo a rigorous methodology under the guidance of FACIT.org which includes multiple translators, QA steps and cognitive interviews with patients. For commercial use, FACITtrans is the approved translation vendor to translate the FACIT measurement system.
Please contact us for more information.
Licensing
Licensing fees are assessed on a per trial/per measure basis for commercial use. There is no fee for use of the English version, but a license should be obtained.
Non-commercial use is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Licensing fees are typically not applied to investigator-initiated research, students, or clinical use.
To license an available version of this measure for commercial or non-commercial use, please complete our registration form. All of the information provided in the form will be kept strictly confidential. For questions, please contact us.
Selected References
Cella, D., Paul, D., Yount, S., Winn, R., Chang, C-H, Banik, D., & Weeks, J. What are the most important symptom targets when treating advanced cancer? A survey of providers in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). Cancer Investigation 2003; 21(4): 526-535. doi: 10.108/CNV-120022366.
Cella, D., Rosenbloom, S., Beaumont, J., Yount, J., Paul, D., Hampton, D., Abernethy, A., Jacobsen, P., Syrjala, K., & Von Roenn, J. Development and validation of 11 symptom indexes to evaluate response to chemotherapy for advanced cancer. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network; 2011; 9(3): 268-278. doi: 10.6004/jnccn.2011.0026.
Clarke, N., Wong, B., Lawrance, R. et al. Validity, reliability, responsiveness, and clinically meaningful change threshold estimates of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network-Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast Cancer Symptom Index (NFBSI-16). J Patient Rep Outcomes 8, 97 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41687-024-00776-y
Garcia, S., Rosenbloom, S., Beaumont, J., Merkel, D., Von Roenn, J., Rao, D., & Cella, D. Priority Symptoms in Advanced Breast Cancer: Development and Initial Validation of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network-Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast Cancer Symptom Index (NFBSI-16). Value in Health 2012; 15(1): 183-190. doi: 10.1016/j.jval.2011.08.1739.
Rosenbloom, S., Yount, S., Yost, K., Hampton, D., Paul, D., Abernethy, A., Jacobsen, P., Syrjala, K., Von Roenn, J., Cella, D. Development and validation of eleven symptom indices to evaluate response to chemotherapy for advanced cancer: Measurement compliance with regulatory demands. Farquhar, I., Summers, K., Sorkin, A. (Eds.). The Value of Innovation: Impacts on Health, Life Quality and Regulatory Research. Emerald Group Publishing Inc. 2007; 16: 53-66. doi: 10.1016/S0194-3960(08)16003-6.
Bonomi, A.E., Cella, D.D., Hahn, E.A., Bjordal, K., Sperner, B., Gangeri, L., Bergman, B., Willems, J., Hanquet, P., & Zittoun, R. Multilingual translation of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT) quality of life measurement system. Quality of Life Research 1996; 5: 309-320.
Eremenco, S., Arnold, B., Cella, D. A comprehensive method for the translation and cross-cultural validation of health status questionnaires. Evaluation & the Health Professions 2005; 28(2): 212-232.
Webster K., Cella D., Yost K. The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT) measurement system: Properties applications, and interpretation. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 2003; 1(1): 79-85.
Yost K.J., Eton D.T. Combining distribution- and anchor-based approaches to determine minimally important differences: The FACIT experience. Evaluation & the Health Professions 2005; 28(2): 172-191.
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