title: The humanistic burden of head and neck cancer: a systematic literature review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Head and neck cancer (HNC) and its treatment can affect communication, nutrition, and physical appearance, and the global impact of this disease on patients' quality of life may be substantial.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this systematic literature review was to describe the impact of HNC and its treatment on the physical, emotional, and social well-being of patients over time, by examining longitudinal studies of patient-reported outcomes (PRO) evaluating these domains.
  
  
  METHODS
  Databases (MEDLINE and Embase) were searched to identify studies published in English between January 2004 and January 2014 analyzing the humanistic aspects of HNC in adult patients. Additional relevant publications were identified through manual searches of abstracts from recent conference proceedings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 1,566 studies initially identified, 130 met the inclusion criteria and were evaluated in the assessment. Investigations using a variety of PRO instruments in heterogeneous patient populations consistently reported that PRO scores decrease significantly from diagnosis through the treatment period, but generally recover to baseline in the first year post-treatment. This trend was observed for many functional domains, although some side effects, such as xerostomia, persisted well beyond 1 year. In addition, considerable evidence exists that baseline PRO scores can predict clinical endpoints such as overall and progression-free survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many aspects of HNC, both disease and treatment specific, profoundly affect patients' quality of life. Improved knowledge of these effects on PRO may allow for more informed treatment decisions and can help physicians to better prepare patients for changes they may experience during therapy. Furthermore, the predictive value of baseline PRO data may enable healthcare providers to identify at-risk patients in need of more intensive intervention.
authors.affiliation: Evidera, Lexington, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wissinger
authors.forename: Ingolf
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Griebsch
authors.forename: Juliane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lungershausen
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Byrnes
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Travers
authors.forename: Chris L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Pashos
mesh_terms: D017281:Cost of Illness; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*