Late complications and long-term quality of life for survivors (>5 years) with history of head and neck cancer.
BACKGROUND
Quality of life (QOL) outcomes become critical for survivors of head and neck cancer. Most QOL studies were based on <5-year outcomes and very few addressed >5-year outcomes. This study focused late complications and >5-year outcomes and also compared the 2 standard treatments.


METHODS
The long-term problems were identified through mail surveys. The 2 treatment arms were compared for differences.


RESULTS
Seventy-three of 234 possible survivors were identified as still living. Forty-seven returned responses were analyzed to determined problems and QOL. Fifty-three percent reported delayed complications which occurred after 5 years. When the 2 treatments were compared, no statistically significant differences were noted. The survivors in the chemoradiotherapy (CRT) group reported greater difficulties with swallowing, sticky saliva, feeding tube, and weight gain. The survivors in the surgery and postoperative radiation therapy (SRT) group reported more problems with trismus.


CONCLUSIONS
Some complications do not occur until after 5 years. The CRT group tended to have more problems.
Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
Nalin
N
Payakachat
Songthip
S
Ounpraseuth
James Y
JY
Suen
D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011788:Quality of Life; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017741:Survivors; D014313:Trismus / Q000209:etiology; D015430:Weight Gain