The purpose of this study was to translate into Polish and validate the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire Ophthalmic Module (QLQ-OPT30). The QLQ-OPT30 was translated and pilot-tested according to EORTC guidelines. Patients were qualified based on the histological or ophthalmoscopic and ultrasonographic diagnosis of uveal melanoma. Each patient filled out the Polish version of the EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), the QLQ-OPT30 module and a personal questionnaire. Patients were divided into three groups according to treatment type, melanoma localisation and possible negative outcomes of the disease or treatment. Reliability and validity test were performed and patients' comments were analysed. Our study included 94 patients--50 women (53.2%) and 44 men (46.8%) in the mean age of 58.4 (±13) years. Treatment type and melanoma location did not influence the health-related quality of life. The QLQ-OPT30, apart from two scales, showed positive internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficients range: 0.70-0.88). We found the Polish version of the EORTC QLQ-OPT30 module a useful tool for measuring health-related quality of life in uveal melanoma patients. Although its discriminative validity is somewhat limited it still can be recommended for clinical use in the Polish population.
© 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.