title: Quality of life in head and neck cancer patients after tumor therapy and subsequent rehabilitation: an exploratory study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to evaluate patient-reported quality of life effects of post-treatment intraoral and extraoral rehabilitation in head and neck cancer by repeated measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-nine patients were involved. Basic socio-demographic, oncological and epidemiological data were gathered, and the type of rehabilitation was recorded. For the assessment of quality of life changes, two widely used brief questionnaires, the University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire and the Head and Neck module of the European Organization of Research and Treatment for Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire, were used. The questionnaires were administered to patients two times: the first time after tumor therapy, but before rehabilitation (upon arriving for rehabilitation) and the second time 6 months after the application of any particular method of rehabilitation. Quality of life data were gathered prospectively, while socio-demographic data were gathered from patient files.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Quality of life after rehabilitation was significantly enhanced as compared to the post-treatment status, in all domains of both questionnaires (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, Mann-Whitney U).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results support the hypothesis that post-treatment maxillofacial rehabilitation in head and neck cancer does not only restore lost physical capabilities, but also brings about profound changes in patients' quality of life in general.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Szeged, Tisza Lajos krt. 64, 6720, Szeged, Hungary.
authors.forename: Judit
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.forename: Gábor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Braunitzer
authors.forename: Márk
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Antal
authors.forename: Csaba
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Berkovits
authors.forename: Péter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Novák
authors.forename: Katalin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D057566:Self Report; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult