When do we need to take action? Cut-off values for the hamburg inventory for measuring quality of life in oncological patients (HELP-6)

Abstract Purpose Results of patient-reported outcome measurements need to be comprehensible and conclusive for a successful integration into treatment in cancer care. The aim of this study was to determine cut-off values for the recently developed “Hamburg Inventory for Measuring Quality of Life in Oncological Patients-6” (HELP-6), a short measurement for Health-related Quality of Life (HrQoL) in routine care in oncological patients. Methods Oncological in- and out-patients with differing cancer entities participated in this study. The survey included the HELP-6 and standardized questionnaires (Distress-Thermometer, PHQ-4, Fact-G, PDI-G). Six receiver operating characteristics analyses were performed, one for each scale of the instrument (Emotional Health, Physical Ailment, Social Functionality, Autonomy, Dignity, Resources). Results For five of the six scales cut-offs could be determined. Areas under the Curve were between 0.7 and 0.8. However, the Dignity scale demonstrated poor discriminative validity, failing to distinguish adequately between severity levels of patient groups. Conclusion By applying the HELP-6 with the cut-off values established in this study, clinicians can more readily interpret patients’ HrQoL, thereby supporting effective clinical decision-making. This feature is especially valuable in routine care, where streamlined monitoring of patient quality of life is paramount. Further conceptualization and validation of the Dignity scale, as well as its integration into patient-reported outcome measures, are warranted. Trial registration The complete study including the development of the instrument was registered at Open Science Framework ***redacted for peer-review***. Clinical trial number: not applicable.