title: A relationship between quality-of-life and head and neck cancer: A systemic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to identify the literature and to assess the association between quality-of-life (QoL) and head and neck cancer (HNC) related outcomes systemically.
  
  
  METHODS
  The full articles published in English language bio-medical journals between 1992 and December 2014 were searched using Medline database. The keywords used for searching the articles include the combination of "health-related of QoL," "QoL," "HNC." The search limited only to the observational studies using questionnaires European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ C 30 and EORTC QLQ H and N 35. Purely psychological studies were excluded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 5055 articles were retrieved, and 16 articles were selected for this review. Of 16 observational studies, 13 (81.25%) were prospective cohort studies while remaining 3 (18.75%) were cross-sectional studies. The main findings of the studies revealed that the treatment of HNC had a statistically significant influence on QoL. Others associated factors like age, female sex, duration of treatment, advance tumor, and site of the tumor has also the impact on QoL on patients suffering from HNC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This review provides evidence for a positive relationship between cancer-related outcomes and QoL. Assessment of QoL in relation to HNC with proper methodology and validated instruments is lacking hence there is a need for further evidence to support the relation between cancer and QoL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Siddhpur Dental College and Hospital, Patan, Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Sujal Mitul
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Parkar
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Ahmedabad Dental College and Hospital, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Mihir N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Shah
keywords: Head and neck cancer; neoplasm; observational studies; quality-of-life; review