title: Impact of trimodality treatment on patient quality of life and arm function for superior sulcus tumors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Trimodality treatment leads to improved survival for superior sulcus tumor (SST) patients. Not much is known about the impact of this treatment on arm function and patient quality of life.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze arm function and quality of life in SST patients undergoing trimodality treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective cohort study of consecutive SST patients treated with trimodality treatment that was conducted between April 1, 2010 and October 31, 2012. We obtained informed consent for 20 of 22 eligible patients. The 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand (DASH) questionnaires were used to asses patient quality of life and subjective arm function at 0 (preoperative day), 3, and 12 months after trimodality treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DASH scores were significantly lower at 3 and 12 months (𝑃 = .024 and 𝑃 = .011) compared with preoperative scores. Significantly lower scores were reported for the SF-36 domains of physical functioning at 12 months (𝑃 = .020) and of physical role functioning at 3 months (𝑃 = .041), and significantly more pain was reported at 3 and 12 months (𝑃 = .006 and 𝑃 = .019, respectively). Patients who underwent T1 nerve root resection had lower scores for the SF-36 domain health change at 3 months (𝑃 = .037) compared with those in whom the T1 root was spared. For all other domains no differences were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Small sample size; patient pre-chemoradiation function and quality of life unknown.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subjective arm function and patient quality of life is reduced following trimodality treatment. Resection of the T1 nerve root has no significant long-term effect on the subjective arm function and quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. ncgvos@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Cornelis G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Vos
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ramon R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Gorter
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Surgery, The Netherlands Cancer Institute - Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Amersterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Koen J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Hartemink
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Surgery, MCH/Bronovo/A12 Oncology Center, Den Haag, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J Wolter
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Oosterhuis
keywords: arm function; carcinoma; non-small-cell lung; quality of life; superior sulcus tumor