Quality of life in long-term oral cancer survivors: a comparison with Spanish general population norms.
OBJECTIVE
Health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) data are becoming an important supplement to information pertaining to treatment outcomes for cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the HRQOL of patients undergoing primary surgery for oral squamous cell carcinoma > or =5 years after treatment compared with the Spanish general population norms.


METHODS
A total of 50 oral cancer patients (mean age 55.78 years, 80% male) with cancer-free survival of > or =5 years after surgery were enrolled. HRQOL was assessed with a standardized questionnaire: the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-Item Health Survey.


RESULTS
The Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-Item Health Survey scores of the oral cancer patients did not differ significantly from those of an age- and gender-matched sample from the Spanish normative population, except for the pain and social functioning domains. The patients had significantly better results compared with the population norms (Wilcoxon test, P < .05) in the physical function, general health, and vitality domains.


CONCLUSIONS
These results provide patient-reported evidence that oral cancer survivors have a similar HRQOL compared with the general Spanish population. We also believe that it would be necessary to analyze the quality of life > or =5 years after treatment or from the moment the patient was discharged.
Herce Lopez
Javier
J
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Virgen Macarena University Hospital, Seville, Spain. javiherce@yahoo.es
Rollon Mayordomo
Angel
A
Lozano Rosado
Rodrigo
R
Salazar Fernandez
Clara Isabel
CI
Gallana
Silvia
S
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012919:Social Behavior; D013030:Spain; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*