Importance-rating using the University of Washington quality of life questionnaire in patients treated by primary surgery for oral and oro-pharyngeal cancer.
BACKGROUND
There are now several validated and widely accepted head and neck cancer questionnaires. These record patients subjective levels of function and dysfunction, as well as symptoms related to their cancer and its treatment. One popular measure is the University of Washington head and neck cancer questionnaire (UW-QOL). Domain importance-ratings were added to the second version of the questionnaire, which was published in 1997. It is unique amongst head and neck cancer questionnaires in this respect.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the study was to evaluate UW-QOL with particular reference to domain importance-rating. It was also the intention to investigate how the importance-ratings related to 'quality of life' and comment on the cumulative scoring of the questionnaire.


METHODS
Forty-eight patients with previously untreated oral or oro-pharyngeal cancer were recruited. All were treated by primary surgery. Questionnaires were completed pre-operatively, 6 months and 1 year post-operatively.


RESULTS
This study demonstrates a wide variation in importance-ratings. Both pre- and post-treatment there was a general lack of correlation between importance-rating and domain scores. At all time points, patients tended to rate speech, chewing and swallowing as more important than the other UW-QOL domains. The cumulative UW-QOL score correlated strongly with the new single item QOL question.


CONCLUSIONS
It remains unclear how best to incorporate importance-ratings into a single UW-QOL total score. However, for individual patients they can assist in setting priorities in treatment strategies.
Rogers
S N
SN
Mossley, Cheshire, UK. snrogers@globalnet.co.uk
Laher
S H
SH
Overend
L
L
Lowe
D
D
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology; D004954:Esthetics / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires