title: Quality of life tools in head and neck oncology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Quality of life (QoL) is now as much an assessment criterion in clinical trials in head and neck oncology as are survival and response rate. It is therefore important to be able to choose an adapted tool from the wide range of QoL instruments available. The present study presents an inventory of QoL scales validated in their French-language version, to facilitate the selection of appropriate tools showing good psychometric properties.
  
  
  METHODS
  QoL scales cited in all 492 French and English language articles published between March 1st, 2006 and April 3rd, 2012, referenced on Medline and retrieved using the keywords "quality of life" AND "head and neck" AND "cancer", were inventoried and classified thematically in a search of the literature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety QoL scales are presented by theme (ORL oncology, voice, swallowing and mastication, mucosities and xerostomia, etc.), specifying psychometric quality and citation level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present report constitutes a guide to selecting QoL tools adapted to head and neck oncology studies.
authors.affiliation: Cancers & prévention, INSERM U1086, université de Caen Basse-Normandie, UFR de Médecine, avenue de la Côte-de-Nacre, 14032 Caen cedex 5, France. Electronic address: natacha.heutte@unicaen.fr.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Heutte
authors.affiliation: Service ORL et chirurgie cervico-faciale, CHU, avenue de la Côte-de-Nacre, 14033 Caen cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Plisson
authors.affiliation: Cancers & prévention, INSERM U1086, université de Caen Basse-Normandie, UFR de Médecine, avenue de la Côte-de-Nacre, 14032 Caen cedex 5, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.affiliation: Cancers & prévention, INSERM U1086, université de Caen Basse-Normandie, UFR de Médecine, avenue de la Côte-de-Nacre, 14032 Caen cedex 5, France.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Prevost
authors.affiliation: Cancers & prévention, INSERM U1086, université de Caen Basse-Normandie, UFR de Médecine, avenue de la Côte-de-Nacre, 14032 Caen cedex 5, France; Service ORL et chirurgie cervico-faciale, CHU, avenue de la Côte-de-Nacre, 14033 Caen cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Babin
mesh_terms: D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Cancer; Head and neck; Quality of life; Quantitative assessment