title: Evaluation of health-related quality of life with EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-H&N35 in Romanian laryngeal cancer patients.
abstract: The aims of this study were to evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQL) according to: type of surgery, adjuvant oncological treatment and postoperative complications. We performed a retrospective case-control study between October 2013 and November 2014 at the Ear Nose and Throat Clinic of Cluj-Napoca. We included patients diagnosed with laryngeal or hypopharyngeal cancer treated with total or partial laryngectomy, and a sample of healthy volunteers recruited from the hospital stuff. We used the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EOTRC) core questionnaires (the QLQ-C30 version 3) and the head and neck cancer module (the QLQ-H&N35). We included in the study 80 patients diagnosed and surgically treated for laryngeal/hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma and 20 healthy volunteers. Median age of the patients was 59.90 years. The most common location was the larynx, in 72 (90 %) of cases and the hypopharynx in 8 (10 %) cases. Sixty-six (82, 50 %) underwent total laryngectomy and 14 (17, 50 %) a partial laryngectomy. Forty-eight patients had received external radiation therapy, with adjuvant chemotherapy in 25 patients. Postoperative complication rates were 14 (17, 50 %) cases. We found a low score in total laryngectomy group regarding functional scales: role (28.03), emotional (37.75) and social (37.88) and a high score on insomnia (35.86) and financial difficulties (45.45). Partial laryngectomy group had a high score on functional scales: role (47.62), emotional (51.19) and social (52.38). These two QOL instruments were effective for Romanian patients. The QLQ-H&N35 questionnaire discriminating better the problems between groups compared with QLQ-C30.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 13 Emil Isac, 400023, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: F V
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Dinescu
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 13 Emil Isac, 400023, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ţiple
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 13 Emil Isac, 400023, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. chirila_magda@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chirilă
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Emergency County Hospital, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mureşan
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Informatics and Biostatistic Department, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Drugan
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 13 Emil Isac, 400023, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cosgarea
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D007825:Laryngectomy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012383:Romania; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: EORTC QLQ-C30; EORTC QLQ-H&N35; Laryngeal cancer; Quality of life