Quality of life in head and neck cancer survivors: a cross-sectional survey.
OBJECTIVE
Head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors have substantial psychological distress in addition to treatment-related side effects. This study examines the long-term quality of life (QOL) of HNC survivors in a busy tertiary care center.


METHODS
A prospective, cross-sectional survey was conducted studying 212 HNC survivors 1 year after completion of their treatment at a tertiary cancer center. Quality of life assessments were performed using the 2 standardized health-related QOL questionnaires: The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core-30 and The Quality of Life Questionnaire Head and Neck Cancer Module.


RESULTS
The overall global QOL rating for the study cohort was satisfactory. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core-30 scores showed that the domains where most patients faired poorly included financial difficulties (54%), appetite loss (36%), fatigue (33%), and cough (30%). The Quality of Life Questionnaire Head and Neck Cancer Module scale identified the domains with poor scores to be dry mouth (64%), dental problems (42%), sticky saliva (40%), cough (39%), and problems with mouth opening (32%). Patients with early-stage tumors and those treated with surgery alone had significantly better QOL scores when compared with advanced stage tumors and patients receiving either radiation alone or multimodality treatment, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Quality of life questionnaires provide a medium for patients to effectively communicate with their physician in a busy tertiary care facility and provide an insight into the physical, psychological, and social problems affecting our patients which can then direct future interventions.
Chaukar
Devendra A
DA
Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Tata Memorial Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, India. dchaukar@rediffmail.com
Walvekar
Rohan R
RR
Das
Ashok K
AK
Deshpande
Mandar S
MS
Pai
Prathamesh S
PS
Chaturvedi
Pankaj
P
Kakade
Anagha
A
D'Cruz
Anil K
AK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult