Performance status
100 — Normal, no complaints, no evidence of disease
90 — Able to carry on normal activity; minor signs or symptoms
80 — Normal activity with effort; some signs or symptoms
70 — Cares for self; unable to carry on normal activity or active work
60 — Requires occasional assistance; cares for most personal needs
50 — Requires considerable assistance and frequent medical care
40 — Disabled; requires special care and assistance
30 — Severely disabled; hospitalisation indicated, death not imminent
20 — Very sick; hospitalisation and active supportive care necessary
10 — Moribund; fatal processes progressing rapidly
Evidence
Original publication
Karnofsky DA, Burchenal JH. The clinical evaluation of chemotherapeutic agents in cancer. In: MacLeod CM, ed. Evaluation of Chemotherapeutic Agents. New York: Columbia University Press; 1949:191–205. Defined the 0–100 performance-status scale used to describe a cancer patient’s functional capacity.
Columbia University Press (book chapter), 1949
Validation
Mor V, Laliberte L, Morris JN, Wiemann M. The Karnofsky Performance Status Scale: an examination of its reliability and validity in a research setting. Showed good inter-rater reliability and strong association with independent measures of function, symptoms, and survival.
Cancer, 1984
Guideline
Used alongside ECOG performance status to judge fitness for anticancer therapy and eligibility for clinical trials; approximate mapping: KPS 100–90 ≈ ECOG 0, 80–70 ≈ 1, 60–50 ≈ 2, 40–30 ≈ 3, 20–10 ≈ 4.
Last reviewed: 2026-09
Report an error in this calculator
MedScore is an educational and clinical decision-support tool. It does not provide a diagnosis, a treatment, or a drug-dosing recommendation, and it does not replace clinical judgement or local guidelines. Confirm every result against the original source before acting on it. The treating clinician remains responsible for all decisions.