Psychometric properties and content of instruments for assessing penile cancer patients’ quality of life: A systematic review

Aim: To describe the psychometric properties and content of the instruments used for assessing penile cancer patients’ quality of life Design: A systematic review Method: A systematic literature search was conducted in October 2024 across four electronic databases: PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library. The systematic approach was adhered to when conducting the review, and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed to ensure explicit reporting. The search across the four databases generated 135 articles, out of which 16 were included in the review. Results: Eight instruments assessing the quality of life (QoL) among penile cancer patients were identified: four generic, two cancer-specific, and two penile cancer-specific. The content of these instruments fell into three main categories: physical functioning, psychosocial resilience, and overall life functions. However, none of the instruments covered all these aspects comprehensively. Additionally, no instrument was reported to be thoroughly valid or reliable. Conclusions: A psychometrically tested and validated QoL instrument that covers all aspects of penile cancer patients' well-being was not found. There is a need for holistic instruments tailored to evaluate and improve the QoL for these patients. Such instruments would enable the identification and comparison of individual care needs and factors influencing their QoL.