Quality of life and functional status of terminally ill head and neck cancer patients: a nation-wide, prospective observational study at tertiary cancer centers in Japan.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about quality of life and functional status of patients with terminally ill head and neck cancers.


METHODS
We conducted a multicenter, prospective, observational study to examine quality of life and functional status in terminally ill head and neck cancer patients.


RESULTS
Of the 100 patients meeting inclusion criteria, 72 were observed until death. There was no significant difference in the quality of life score between baseline and Week 3. Forty patients (54.9%) could speak and 22 patients (30.5%) could have oral intake upon study entry. Fifty-three patients (74.6%) received enteral nutrition. Twenty-six patients (36.6%) required dressing changes for fungating tumors. The route of nutritional intake (nasogastric tube vs. percutaneous gastric tube) might be predictive for the duration of hospital stay (64 vs. 21 days, P = 0.0372).


CONCLUSIONS
There was no significant relationship between quality of life and functional status seen in this study. Feeding tube type could have the most impact on quality of life.
Department of Head and Neck Surgery, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa tashinoz@east.ncc.go.jp.
Takeshi
T
Shinozaki
Ebihara Clinic, Chigasaki.
Mitsuru
M
Ebihara
Department of Palliative Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo.
Satoru
S
Iwase
Division of Biostatistics, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai.
Takuhiro
T
Yamaguchi
Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Nagoya.
Hitoshi
H
Hirakawa
Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Cancer Institute Hospital of Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo.
Wataru
W
Shimbashi
Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Shizuoka Cancer Center, Nagaizumicho.
Tomoyuki
T
Kamijo
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara.
Makito
M
Okamoto
Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Saitama Cancer Center, Saitama.
Takeshi
T
Beppu
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima.
Junichiro
J
Ohori
Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Miyagi Cancer Center, Natori.
Kazuto
K
Matsuura
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases, Osaka.
Motoyuki
M
Suzuki
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke.
Hiroshi
H
Nishino
Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Niigata Cancer Center, Niigata, Japan.
Yuichiro
Y
Sato
Department of Palliative Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo.
Hiroto
H
Ishiki
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007441:Intubation, Gastrointestinal; D007564:Japan; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D015996:Survival Rate; D019452:Terminally Ill; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers
functional status; head and neck cancer; nutrition; prospective observation; terminally ill