Monitoring quality of life (QOL) is a central part of evaluating outcomes in palliative care. Yet, in Chile, there are no validated tools specifically designed to measure QOL and symptom burden in patients under palliative care. This study aimed to examine the relevance and clarity of the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL among Chilean patients with advanced cancer and palliative care professionals, following the same methodological approach previously used to adapt the EORTC QLQ-C30. A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used across four palliative care centers between October and November 2017. Individual interviews were conducted with patients and health care professionals to explore their views on the importance, appropriateness, and usefulness of the 30 items in the QLQ-C30 for assessing palliative care outcomes. Participants were also encouraged to identify additional topics they believed were important to include. Forty-eight patients with advanced cancer and thirty-five health professionals participated. The domains viewed as most relevant were pain, physical functioning, fatigue, sleep disturbance, emotional functioning, nausea and vomiting, social interaction, appetite loss, constipation, and role functioning. Participants also emphasized aspects not covered in the tool, such as satisfaction with care, emotional and psychological support, and linguistic concerns in the dyspnea and constipation items. The findings support the content validity of the EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL for assessing quality of life and symptom experiences among advanced cancer patients in Chile. Therefore, its use is recommended in palliative care practice within this context. Following these results, the EORTC group refined the dyspnea and constipation items. Further research is warranted to incorporate a social dimension that captures a more complete view of patient well-being.
