Calculators · Oncology · Classification

ECOG ⇄ Karnofsky performance status

Also called ECOG PS, Zubrod, WHO performance status, KPS, Karnofsky

Describes an ECOG grade or a Karnofsky score and gives the corresponding grade on the other scale.

Performance status (pick one scale)

Fill 1 more field to see the result.

Formula and scoring

Pairing used by ECOG-ACRIN: KPS 100–90 ≈ ECOG 0; 80–70 ≈ 1; 60–50 ≈ 2; 40–30 ≈ 3; 20–10 ≈ 4; 0 = 5.

Exam and ward pearls

  • ECOG ≥2 = "not able to work, but up >50% of the day" — the usual cut for fitness for standard chemotherapy trials.
  • KPS 70 = cares for self but cannot work; KPS 50 and below = needs considerable assistance.

When not to rely on it

  • The scales do not map exactly. Buccheri 1996 (536 lung cancer patients) found the best 3-level agreement with KPS 70 grouped with ECOG 2, not ECOG 1 — so KPS 70 is the commonest point of disagreement.

Source

  1. Oken MM, Creech RH, Tormey DC, et al. Toxicity and response criteria of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group. Am J Clin Oncol. 1982;5(6):649-55. PMID 7165009
  2. ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group. ECOG performance status scale (with Karnofsky comparison). Link
  3. Buccheri G, Ferrigno D, Tamburini M. Karnofsky and ECOG performance status scoring in lung cancer: a prospective, longitudinal study of 536 patients from a single institution. Eur J Cancer. 1996;32A(7):1135-41. doi:10.1016/0959-8049(95)00664-8 · PMID 8758243

Formula and cut-offs checked against these sources on 8 Nov 2026. Educational tool for clinicians; it does not replace clinical judgement.

More Oncology calculators