Quality of life outcomes in laryngeal and oropharyngeal cancer patients after chemoradiation.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to compare quality of life issues in patients with advanced laryngeal versus oropharyngeal cancer after treatment with chemoradiation.


METHODS
A cohort study of 31 patients with laryngeal or oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma treated with chemoradiation completed the University of Washington quality of life instrument version 4 (UW-QOL v4). Statistical analysis was performed with Wilcoxon rank sum and chi-square tests.


METHODS
Academic tertiary care center.


RESULTS
Both groups reported similar impairment in the domains of swallowing, chewing, and taste. Oropharyngeal cancer patients reported significantly worse quality of life in the domain of saliva (P < 0.007).


CONCLUSIONS
Swallowing, chewing, and taste were adversely affected by chemoradiation for both groups. Oropharyngeal patients experienced significantly worse problems with saliva than laryngeal patients. These patients reported high levels of satisfaction with health-related quality of life issues.


CONCLUSIONS
Specific head and neck subsites have different morbidities when treated with primary chemoradiation for advanced tumors.
Mowry
Sarah E
SE
Division of Head and Neck Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.
LoTempio
Maria M
MM
Sadeghi
Ahmad
A
Wang
Kevin H
KH
Wang
Marilene B
MB
D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome