title: Quality of life of oropharyngeal cancer patients with respect to treatment strategy and p16-positivity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the quality of life in long-term survivors with oropharyngeal cancer (OPSCC), compare the results with our historic cohort in relation to the radiation technique, and explore the influence of treatment strategy and p16 expression on quality of life (QoL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart analysis and patient response to EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-H&N35 survey questionnaires.
  
  
  METHODS
  98/120 (82%) survivors treated by primary intensity modulated chemoradiation (n = 55), or surgery with (n = 30) or without (n = 13) adjuvant radiotherapy (RT), completed and returned the questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Surgically treated patients complained about significantly less troubles with dry mouth and teeth compared to the nonsurgically treated group. Comparing patients treated with surgery alone and those receiving any kind of RT (primary or adjuvant) the latter group complained about significantly more problems. Patients with p16-positive tumors demonstrated significantly higher tumor stages, but significantly better scores in physical and role functions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early disease can be treated with high long-term QoL by surgery alone. Primary surgery with postoperative RT in selected patients with limited primary tumors and advanced neck disease renders excellent QoL. Our results suggest that IMRT is superior to former radiation techniques with regard to QoL, and should be considered as standard of care in patients undergoing RT for OPSCC. Patients with p16 positive tumors appear to show not only a better outcome but also report on a better QoL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Kantonsspital St.Gallen, Switzerland. martina.broglie@kssg.ch
authors.forename: Martina A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Broglie
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soltermann
authors.forename: Sarah R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Haile
authors.forename: Christof
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Röösli
authors.forename: Gerhard F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.forename: Sandro J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Stoeckli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D027383:Papillomaviridae; D011788:Quality of Life; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D050397:Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: C000614131:CDKN2A protein, human; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins