Karnofsky Performance Status

(original scale as defined by Karnofsky in 1949)

Karnofsky, DA & Burchenal, JH. The Clinical Evaluation of Chemotherapeutic Agents In Cancer. pg. 196. In: MacLeod CM (Ed.). Evaluation of Chemotherapeutic Agents. Columbia Univ. Press, 1949.

Condition	Percentage	Comments
A: Able to carry on normal activity and to work. No special care is needed.	100	Normal, no complaints, no evidence of disease.
	90	Able to carry on normal activity, minor signs or symptoms of disease.
	80	Normal activity with effort, some signs or symptoms of disease.
B: Unable to work. Able to live at home, care for most personal needs. A varying degree of assistance is needed.	70	Care for self. Unable to carry on normal activity or to do active work.
	60	Requires occasional assistance, but is able to care for most of his (one’s) needs.
	50	Disease may be progressing rapidly. Requires considerable assistance and frequent medical care.
C: Unable to care for self. Requires equivalent of institutional or hospital care.	40	Disabled, requires special care and assistance.
	30	Severely disabled, hospitalization is indicated although death not imminent.
	20	Hospitalization necessary, very sick, active supportive treatment necessary.
	10	Moribund, fatal processes progressing rapidly.
	0	Dead.