title: Prospective studies on mental status and quality of life in patients with head and neck cancer treated by radiation.
abstract: Factors affecting the quality of life (QOL) in patients undergoing radiation therapy for head and neck cancer were determined in a prospective study. Full psychiatric interviews and self-report questionnaires concerning patients' QOL, pain, anxiety, mood, coping style and personality were administered to 35 patients with Stage I or II head and neck cancer before radiation therapy (week 0), and approximately one month (week 4) and two months (week 8) after starting of radiation. Anxiety, depression and pain were more severe at week 4 than at baseline. Anxiety was less at week 8, but depressive symptoms remained remarkable. Stepwise regression analyses revealed that changes in depressed mood and pain partially accounted for changes in disease-specific QOL. General health QOL related to a premorbid personality of openness and an emotional aspect of a coping style. Therapeutic interventions including psychiatric management of depression and physical management of pain appear to be crucial for preserving QOL during radiation treatment of patients with head and neck cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Rumiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kohda
authors.forename: Tempei
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Otsubo
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kuwakado
authors.forename: Katsutoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kitahara
authors.forename: Kimio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshimura
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mimura
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000523:psychology; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000523:psychology; D010348:Patient Care Team; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010555:Personality Inventory; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012803:Sick Role; D013223:Statistics as Topic