Objective: To validate the specialized questionnaire "NEURO-RMZh" for the differential diagnosis of neuropathic pain in patients with metastatic breast cancer and to compare its psychometric properties with existing validated instruments.

Materials and Methods:  A single-center prospective validation study was conducted, enrolling 111 patients with metastatic breast cancer. A comprehensive methodological approach was employed, including assessment of internal consistency, test-retest reliability, construct and criterion validity. Statistical methods included factor analysis, correlation analysis, ROC analysis, and multiple logistic regression. The DN4, BPI, SF-36, and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) questionnaires were used as comparators.

Results: The "NEURO-RMZh" questionnaire demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.89) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.94). Its four-factor structure explains 73.6% of the total variance. The diagnostic performance of the questionnaire exceeds that of existing tools: sensitivity 89.7%, specificity 82.4%, area under the ROC curve 0.92. Likelihood ratios (LR+ = 5.10, LR- = 0.13) indicate the clinical significance of the test. Strong correlations were observed with SF-36 quality of life domains (r from -0.44 to -0.74).

Conclusion: The "NEURO-RMZh" questionnaire is a valid, reliable, and highly informative tool for the differential diagnosis of neuropathic pain in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Its implementation may contribute to the optimization of diagnostics and personalization of therapeutic strategies in palliative oncology.

Neuropathic pain, breast cancer, questionnaire

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