Quality of life correlates after surgery for laryngeal carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the correlation of operation mode, postoperative radiotherapy, and disease stage factors with the health-related quality of life (HRQL) measures after surgery for laryngeal carcinoma.


METHODS
Reanalysis of data of two multi-institutional cross-sectional studies.


METHODS
We interviewed 218 laryngectomees and 153 partial laryngectomy patients in and near Leipzig, Germany, in two cross-sectional studies, using the general and the head- and neck-specific quality of life questionnaires of the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-H&N35). Multifactorial univariate and multivariate models were calculated, with laryngectomy vs. partial laryngectomy, radiotherapy (irradiated or not), and disease stage (International Union Against Cancer [UICC] stages I/II vs. III/IV) as influencing factors and the HRQL scales and items as dependent variables. Analyses were adjusted for the patient's age and the time elapsed since the operation.


RESULTS
Laryngectomees were more affected in their sense of smell (P < or = .000). Among irradiated patients, functioning levels and many symptom scales showed worse results (P < or = .05). Both operation mode and postoperative radiotherapy were independently associated with head- and neck-specific HRQL in multivariate analysis. Differences between disease stage groups, however, were not significant. Patient's age was an influencing factor on HRQL, but time since operation was not.


CONCLUSIONS
: Postoperative radiotherapy seems to have the greatest impact on patients' HRQL independent of other clinical factors following surgery for laryngeal carcinoma. Aftercare of irradiated laryngeal carcinoma patients should focus more on the patient's quality of life.
Bindewald
Julian
J
Department of Social Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
Oeken
Jens
J
Wollbrueck
Dorit
D
Wulke
Cornelia
C
Dietz
Andreas
A
Herrmann
Esther
E
Schwarz
Reinhold
R
Singer
Susanne
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires