title: Differences in health related quality of life in the randomised ARTSCAN study; accelerated vs. conventional radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. A five year follow up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Health related quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed in the randomised, prospective ARTSCAN study comparing conventional radiotherapy (CF) with accelerated radiotherapy (AF) for head and neck cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  750 patients with squamous cell carcinoma (of any grade and stage) in the oral cavity, oro-, or hypopharynx or larynx (except T1-2, N0 glottic carcinoma) without distant metastases were randomised to either conventional fractionation (2 Gy/day, 5 days/week in 49 days, total dose 68 Gy) or accelerated fractionation (1.1+2.0 Gy/day, 5 days/week in 35 days, total dose 68 Gy). HRQoL was assessed with EORTC QLQ-C30, QLQ-H&N35 and HADS at baseline, at end of radiotherapy (eRT) and at 3 and 6 months and 1, 2 and 5 years after start of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The AF group reported HRQoL was significantly lower at eRT and at 3 months for most symptoms, scales and functions. Few significant differences were noted between the groups at 6 months and 5 years. Scores related to functional oral intake never reached baseline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In comparison to CF, AF has a stronger adverse effect on HRQoL in the acute phase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden; Department of Clinical Science Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Umeå University, Sweden. Electronic address: jmcnyqvist@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nyqvist
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Umeå University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fransson
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Science Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Umeå University, Sweden; Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Laurell
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hammerlid
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Radiation Physics, Skåne University Hospital, Lund University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kjellén
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Sciences, Oncology, Umeå University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Franzén
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Sciences, Oncology, Umeå University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Söderström
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Gun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wickart-Johansson
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Signe
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Friesland
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sjödin
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Radiation Physics, Skåne University Hospital, Lund University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brun
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Radiation Physics, Skåne University Hospital, Lund University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ask
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Radiation Physics, Skåne University Hospital, Lund University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Radiation Physics, Skåne University Hospital, Lund University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ekberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Björk-Eriksson
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nyman
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology, Karlstad Central Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: Britta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lödén
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Ryhov County Hospital, Jönköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Freddi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lewin
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Örebro University Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reizenstein
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Ryhov County Hospital, Jönköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lundin
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Sciences, Oncology, Umeå University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zackrisson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life
keywords: Accelerated fractionation; Accelerated radiotherapy; Head and neck cancer; Health related quality of life; Quality of life