title: Importance of patient, tumour and treatment related factors on quality of life in head and neck cancer patients after definitive treatment.
abstract: The purpose of this study is to assess patient, tumour and treatment related factors on quality of life (QoL) outcomes of patients who received definitive or postoperative radiotherapy +/- chemotherapy for head and neck (H&N) cancer. In this cross-sectional study, 110 H&N cancer patients were evaluated in follow-up visit and were asked to fill out the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL Core Questionnaire (QLQ-C-30) and H&N Module (QLQ-H&N35). Patients were also graded for their late side effects using EORTC/RTOG scoring system. The QLQ C-30 and QLQ-H&N35 mean scores were compared using ANOVA analysis for these variables: age, gender, occupation, educational status, social security status, place of residence, tumour localization, clinical stage, comorbidity, Karnofsky performance score, treatment modality and side effects. Median follow-up was 29 (4-155) months. Tumour localization was significant factor affecting physical (P = 0.03), social (P = 0.01), cognitive (P = 0.002) functioning. Treatment modality had significant impact on the physical (P = 0.02) and cognitive scores (P = 0.008). Global QoL was affected significantly by disease stage (P = 0.01) and occupation (P = 0.01). The QLQ-H&N35 scores were found significantly higher in patients with moderate/severe late morbidity. Tumour localization and the treatment modality are the most important factors affecting the QoL of H&N cancer patients treated definitively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Dokuz Eylul University Medical School, 35340, Izmir, Turkey. zlarican@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Zumre Arican
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Alicikus
authors.forename: Fadime
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Akman
authors.forename: Ozlem Uruk
authors.initials: OU
authors.lastname: Ataman
authors.forename: Nihal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dag
authors.forename: Esmahan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Orcin
authors.forename: Betul
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bakis
authors.forename: Munir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kinay
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010039:Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D055815:Young Adult