Quality-of-life assessment after hyperfractionated radiation therapy and 5-fluorouracil, cisplatin, and paclitaxel (Taxol) in inoperable and/or unresectable head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To determine quality of life (QOL) after hyperfractionated radiation and chemotherapy.


METHODS
Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT) and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Head and Neck (FACT H-N) questionnaires were administered to protocol patients at baseline study entry, during and at the completion of therapy, and during subsequent follow-up.


RESULTS
Twenty-four patients completed baseline QOL questionnaires. Six subsequent assessments were given to patients who were available for follow-up. Social/family well-being and relationship with doctor subscores were not significantly different from baseline. Emotional well-being was not different from baseline initially, but actually showed a significant increase 6 months after completion of radiation, seen on assessments 5 and 6 (P < 0.01). Physical and functional well-being subscores, total FACT-G score, head and neck subscores, and total FACT H-N score all showed initial decreases during, at the completion of radiation, or, in some subscores, up to 3 months postradiation. However, all these scores recovered to baseline levels. These scores subsequently showed a significant increase after 6 months to 1 year in all but the physical well-being and head and neck subscores, which remained at baseline.


CONCLUSIONS
QOL scores returned to baseline levels or increased at 6 to 12 months postradiation in long-term survivors who completed QOL questionnaires.
Abdel-Wahab
May
M
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Miami, Miami, Florida 33136, USA. mwahab@med.miami.edu
Abitbol
Andre
A
Lewin
Alan
A
Troner
Michael
M
Hamilton
Kara
K
Markoe
Arnold
A
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000209:etiology; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005774:Gastrostomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011788:Quality of Life; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015996:Survival Rate
D017239:Paclitaxel; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil