Quality of life in head and neck cancer survivors: a cross-sectional survey

Chaukar, Devendra A.; Walvekar, Rohan R.; Das, Ashok K.; Deshpande, Mandar S.; Pai, Prathamesh S.; Chaturvedi, Pankaj; Kakade, Anagha; D'Cruz, Anil K.

doi:10.1016/j.amjoto.2008.05.001

« Previous Next »American Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Medicine and Surgery
Volume 30, Issue 3 , Pages 176-180, May 2009

Quality of life in head and neck cancer survivors: a cross-sectional survey

Meetings where data were presented: 12th International Conference on Quality of life, San Francisco, 2005.

Devendra A. Chaukar, MS, DNB
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Tata Memorial Hospital
- Corresponding author. Head Neck Services, Tata Memorial Hospital, Dr. Ernest Borges Marg, Parel, Mumbai 400 012, India. Tel.: +91 22 24172138; fax: +91 22 24158989.
Rohan R. Walvekar, MS, DNB, DORL
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Tata Memorial Hospital
- Department of Otolaryngology and Head Neck Surgery, University of Pittsburgh
Ashok K. Das, MS
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Tata Memorial Hospital
Mandar S. Deshpande, MS, DNB
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Tata Memorial Hospital
Prathamesh S. Pai, MS, DNB
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Tata Memorial Hospital
Pankaj Chaturvedi, MS
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Tata Memorial Hospital
Anagha Kakade, MSC, DBM, PDCR
- Clinical Research Secretariat, Tata Memorial Hospital
Anil K. D'Cruz, MS
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Tata Memorial Hospital

Received 6 February 2008 published online 02 October 2008.

Abstract

Purpose

Head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors have substantial psychological distress in addition to treatment-related side effects. This study examines the long-term quality of life (QOL) of HNC survivors in a busy tertiary care center.

Material and methods

A prospective, cross-sectional survey was conducted studying 212 HNC survivors 1 year after completion of their treatment at a tertiary cancer center. Quality of life assessments were performed using the 2 standardized health-related QOL questionnaires: The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core-30 and The Quality of Life Questionnaire Head and Neck Cancer Module.

Results

The overall global QOL rating for the study cohort was satisfactory. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core-30 scores showed that the domains where most patients faired poorly included financial difficulties (54%), appetite loss (36%), fatigue (33%), and cough (30%). The Quality of Life Questionnaire Head and Neck Cancer Module scale identified the domains with poor scores to be dry mouth (64%), dental problems (42%), sticky saliva (40%), cough (39%), and problems with mouth opening (32%). Patients with early-stage tumors and those treated with surgery alone had significantly better QOL scores when compared with advanced stage tumors and patients receiving either radiation alone or multimodality treatment, respectively.

Conclusions

Quality of life questionnaires provide a medium for patients to effectively communicate with their physician in a busy tertiary care facility and provide an insight into the physical, psychological, and social problems affecting our patients which can then direct future interventions.