Karnofsky Performance Scale: A Scoring Guide
A guide to the Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) scale — what it measures, how the 0-100 scoring works, and where clinicians use it.
The Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) scale is one of the oldest and most widely used clinician-rated measures of functional ability, originally developed for patients with serious illness. It scores a person's ability to carry out normal activity and self-care on a scale from 0 to 100, in increments of 10.
What the KPS measures
The scale captures overall functional status: how well someone can work, perform daily activities, and care for themselves. It is quick to administer, requires no client self-report, and provides a single number that tracks change over time. It is commonly used in oncology and serious-illness care to inform treatment decisions, prognosis conversations, and eligibility for certain therapies.
Scoring bands
The KPS ranges from 100 (fully normal, no complaints) down to 0 (deceased), grouped into broad bands:
- 100-80 — Able to carry on normal activity and work. From fully normal (100) down to normal activity with effort (80).
- 70-50 — Unable to work; able to live at home and care for most personal needs. From caring for self (70) down to requiring considerable assistance and frequent medical care (50).
- 40-10 — Unable to care for self. From disabled (40) down to completely dependent, nearing death (10).
- 0 — Deceased.
Scores are assigned by the clinician based on observed or reported function, not the diagnosis itself.
Clinical uses
Because it is simple and reproducible, the KPS is used to:
- Establish a baseline of function at intake.
- Track decline or improvement across treatment.
- Support conversations about goals of care and treatment intensity.
- Document functional status alongside other clinical measures.
Pairing with documentation
Functional measures gain value when recorded consistently and trended over time. Capture the score and a brief justification in the chart using a SOAP or DAP structure, and tie functional goals to a treatment plan when applicable.