Importance of patient, tumour and treatment related factors on quality of life in head and neck cancer patients after definitive treatment

• DOI: 10.1007/s00405-008-0889-0
• Publication Date: 2008-12-18T09:15:10Z
• Authors: Zumre Arican Alic...; Fadime Akman; Ozlem Uruk Ataman; Nihal Dag; Esmahan Orcin; Betul Bakis; Munir Kinay
• Keywords: Adult; Aged, 80 and over; Male; Adolescent; Health Status; Middle Aged; 3. Good health; Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Activities of Daily Living; Quality of Life; Humans; Female; Aged

The purpose of this study is to assess patient, tumour and treatment related factors on quality of life (QoL) outcomes of patients who received definitive or postoperative radiotherapy +/- chemotherapy for head and neck (H&N) cancer. In this cross-sectional study, 110 H&N cancer patients were evaluated in follow-up visit and were asked to fill out the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL Core Questionnaire (QLQ-C-30) and H&N Module (QLQ-H&N35). Patients were also graded for their late side effects using EORTC/RTOG scoring system. The QLQ C-30 and QLQ-H&N35 mean scores were compared using ANOVA analysis for these variables: age, gender, occupation, educational status, social security status, place of residence, tumour localization, clinical stage, comorbidity, Karnofsky performance score, treatment modality and side effects. Median follow-up was 29 (4-155) months. Tumour localization was significant factor affecting physical (P = 0.03), social (P = 0.01), cognitive (P = 0.002) functioning. Treatment modality had significant impact on the physical (P = 0.02) and cognitive scores (P = 0.008). Global QoL was affected significantly by disease stage (P = 0.01) and occupation (P = 0.01). The QLQ-H&N35 scores were found significantly higher in patients with moderate/severe late morbidity. Tumour localization and the treatment modality are the most important factors affecting the QoL of H&N cancer patients treated definitively.