title: Comparison of quality of life in advanced laryngeal cancer patients after concurrent chemoradiotherapy vs total laryngectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare quality of life (QOL) of patients with advanced laryngeal cancers treated by total laryngectomy with those who received concurrent chemoradiotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional study of the patients treated in our institution who have completed one year of follow-up and were disease-free at the time of evaluation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients treated for advanced cancer of the larynx (stage III/IV), either by concurrent chemoradiation (11) or total laryngectomy and postoperative radiation (29), have been included in this study. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Head and Neck (FACT-H&N) version 4 questionnaire was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total scores for overall QOL are equal in both treatment groups (P = 0.69). Scores for individual components are similar in both treatment groups. However, dryness of mouth is significantly worse in the chemoradiotherapy group (P = 0.01) and ability to communicate with others is poorer in the laryngectomy group (P = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term overall QOL remains similar in all the patients treated for advanced carcinoma of the larynx irrespective of treatment modality.
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck Institute, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: Nirav Pravin
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Trivedi
authors.forename: Dhanya Kalathungal
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Swaminathan
authors.forename: Krishnakumar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thankappan
authors.forename: Shilpa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chatni
authors.forename: Moni Abraham
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kuriakose
authors.forename: Subramania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iyer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D007825:Laryngectomy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011788:Quality of Life; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents