Health-related quality of life profiles based on survivorship status for head and neck cancer patients.
BACKGROUND
As the methodologies for evaluating health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in head and neck cancer patients have matured over the past 10 years, there has been an increasing focus on reporting longitudinal data. These studies have primarily focused on long-term survivors. This study addresses the HRQOL of both long-term and short-term survivors.


METHODS
This is a prospective, longitudinal study of 479 head and neck cancer patients followed for at least 3 years after diagnosis. Analysis of longitudinally collected HRQOL scores was based on survivorship status.


RESULTS
The HRQOL for 3 survivorship groups: short-term (died <1 year), intermediate-term (died 1-3 years), and long-term survivors (alive >3 years) were different at all time points (pretreatment, 3, 6, and 12 months). Differences were greatest between the short-term and long-term survivors. Long-term survivors demonstrated the best HRQOL and an improving HRQOL trajectory at 12 months. The HRQOL of short-term survivors declined precipitously throughout all available follow-up. Intermediate-term survivors did show some improvement following treatment but had a declining HRQOL trajectory at 12 months.


CONCLUSIONS
The HRQOL profiles of head and neck cancer patients differed significantly depending on survivorship status. Long-term HRQOL results should be analyzed within the context of the results for all of the patients eligible to have been included in the initial study cohort.
Goldstein
David P
DP
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
Hynds Karnell
Lucy
L
Christensen
Alan J
AJ
Funk
Gerry F
GF
D000368:Aged; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D013060:Speech; D016019:Survival Analysis; D017741:Survivors; D013997:Time Factors