The short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire in chronic cancer pain

A short form of the McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) was previously developed. It was found to correlate highly with and demonstrate differences due to treatment in a manner similar to the long form of the McGill Pain Questionnaire (LF-MPQ). The LF-MPQ was previously found to be a valid measurement of pain in the cancer population. The present study demonstrated that the sensory, affective, and total scores of the SF-MPQ correlated highly with the LF-MPQ on three administrations, each 3-4 wk apart in 24 patients with chronic pain due to cancer. Both the long and short total scores correlated highly with the visual analogue scale (VAS) and present pain intensity (PPI) scale. The SF-MPQ demonstrated changes over time in a manner similar to the LF-MPQ in this patient group. These observations support the value of the SF-MPQ as a tool for studying interventions in patients with chronic pain due to cancer.