Outcomes research in head and neck cancer

Quality of life (QOL) considerations are uniquely important in head and neck oncology outcomes research due to the multidimensional impact of these tumors and their treatment. Patient variables, tumor variables and treatment variables must be considered comprehensively in order to maximize the validity of QOL outcome measures. There are a multitude of QOL instruments, which can be classified into: (1) general measures of health-related QOL, (2) general QOL instruments for patients with cancer, (3) disease-specific instruments for patients with head and neck cancer, (4) treatment-specific instruments and (5) symptom-specific instruments. This article will highlight commonly used validated QOL instruments in head and neck oncology.     

Quality of life assessment in nonmelanoma cervicofacial skin cancer

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Health-related quality of life (QOL) assessment of patients with nonmelanoma skin cancer is poorly understood. The objectives of the study were to determine the general QOL of patients with cervicofacial skin cancer and to identify patient, clinical, and preventive behavior variables associated with patients' QOL. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of 121 consecutive patients (65 female and 56 male patients) presenting to a dermatological Mohs surgery clinic with nonmelanoma skin cancer of the head and neck. METHODS: Quality of life assessment was performed before counseling or treatment. Measures included the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-item Health Survey (SF-36) and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G). RESULTS: Both instruments demonstrated good internal consistency as measured by Cronbach's alpha (SF-36, alpha = 0.45-0.91; FACT-G, alpha = 0.61-0.90). The SF-36 scores were similar to historical norms. Bivariate analysis indicated significant correlation coefficients between QOL and patients' coexisting illnesses and medical risk factors. Sun-protective behaviors were associated with better QOL. The relationship appeared to be minimally influenced by patients' sociodemographic characteristics and disease-related variables (size, location, extent). CONCLUSIONS: Sun-protective behaviors were positively associated with certain QOL subscale scores in the population in the study. General QOL instruments demonstrated minimal impact of nonmelanoma skin cancer on patients at initial diagnosis. However, general measures may not be sensitive to the impact of nonmelanoma skin cancer. The development of a more disease-specific instrument may be necessary to evaluate this disease process.     

Quality of Life Assessment in Patients Undergoing Head and Neck Surgery As Evaluated by Lay Caregivers

Objectives/Hypothesis: Rehabilitation following head and neck cancer surgery has steadily moved into the outpatient realm and become dependent on caregivers with no formal medical background (lay caregivers.) Satisfactory rehabilitation and quality of life (QOL) depend on successful relationships between patients and the lay caregivers. This study evaluates the QOL assessments of patients by themselves and their primary lay caregivers before head and neck surgery. Study Design: Institutional Review Board–approved study using validated QOL assessment instrument. Materials and Methods: The preoperative QOL status in 50 patients undergoing extensive head and neck surgery was evaluated using the self-administered Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form 36 (SF-36). The patient's primary lay caregiver (spouse, child, or friend) completed a similar questionnaire evaluating the patient's status. Results: Thirty-three (66%) questionnaires were returned. Twenty-five (50%) questionnaire sets were successfully completed by both parties and employable for comparison. Sixty percent of the caregivers were within the 90% confidence interval of the patient's assessment for six or more of the eight parameters evaluated by the SF-36. Likewise, caregiver assessments for specific parameters were consistently congruent with patient evaluation, except for the parameters of bodily pain and general health, for which caregivers demonstrated a trend for overrating pain and underestimating general health. Caregivers of the same generation as the patient demonstrated significantly higher congruence (P = .007). Similarly, a trend for higher congruence was noted in patients with recurrent disease. Conclusions: The importance of the lay caregiver has increased in the era of greater outpatient rehabilitation. This pilot study indicates that QOL assessment by lay caregivers may be examined with existing instruments and highlights QOL parameters critical to both the head and neck surgery patient and his or her primary lay caregiver.     

慢性鼻-鼻窦炎鼻息肉患者的生存质量调查

目的探讨慢性鼻一鼻窦炎鼻息肉（chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polypsis，CRSwNP）患者的健康相关生存质量（quality of life，QOL）状况。方法通过国内现有的中文版医学结果研究短量36条（the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36，SF-36）和汉化英文版鼻腔鼻窦结果测量20条（the Sino—Nasal Outcome Test-20，SNOT-20），对随机选择的120例CRSwNP患者和200名健康体检者进行QOL的调查与评估，并对汉化后的SNOT-20量表进行临床和心理学测试。结果汉化SNOT-20量表的可行性、信度、效度和反应度等性能指标均通过考核。通过SF-36评估显示：除社会功能和情感角色外，CRSwNP患者在生理功能、生理角色、躯体疼痛、心理健康、活力和总体健康等6个维度的计分均低于对照组（P均〈0．05）；通过汉化SNOT-20评估显示：患者生理问题、功能限制和情感结果等3个维度的20个条目计分均高于对照组（P均〈0．05），其中影响健康最重要的5个问题依次为必须擤鼻涕、流黏稠鼻涕、缺乏高质量睡眠、头晕和鼻涕向后流。结论SF-36和汉化SNOT-20量表能有效调查评估CRSwNP患者的QOL；该病对患者生理功能、生理角色、躯体疼痛、心理健康、活力、总体健康和情感结果等方面有明显的负面影响，临床治疗应着重解决异常分泌物、睡眠障碍和头晕等问题。     

Quality of life and sun-protective behavior in patients with skin cancer

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether change occurred in the general quality of life (QOL) of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) patients following surgery, to identify variables associated with patients' change in QOL, and to assess the impact of the disease and treatment on sun-protective behaviors and cigarette smoking. DESIGN: Longitudinal prospective study of 121 consecutive patients referred to a dermatologic Mohs surgery clinic with NMSC of the head and neck. INTERVENTIONS: Quality-of-life, smoking habit, and sun-protective behavior assessments were performed before treatment (N=121) and after surgical treatment at 1 (n=105) and 4 (n=101) months. Quality-of-life measures included the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General. RESULTS: Overall, general QOL measures demonstrated little change over time. Only the mental (Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey) and emotional (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General) domains of QOL showed statistically significant change over time. A 2-way interaction showing effects for age and time on emotional well-being was modified by a 3-way interaction that depended on employment status. Emotional well-being scores for younger employed NMSC patients increased over time compared with scores among younger unemployed patients. In addition, many patients adopted greater use of sun-protective behaviors at 4 months following surgery. No change in cigarette smoking status was evidenced. CONCLUSIONS: Use of sun-protective behaviors increases after treatment. General QOL instruments demonstrate little change following treatment of NMSC. Although the associations are modest, improvements in emotional and mental health well-being following treatment of NMSC were demonstrated, especially for those younger than 65 years and employed. A disease-specific instrument may be necessary to further study this disease process.     

鼻内镜手术对慢性鼻-鼻窦炎鼻息肉患者临床症状和生活质量的影响

目的探讨鼻内镜手术方式对慢性鼻-鼻窦炎鼻息肉患者症状和生活质量（quality of life, QOL）的影响。方法通过医学结局研究简表36项健康调查(medical outcome study short-form 36-items healt 和 survey, MOS SF-36,简称 SF-36)和鼻腔鼻窦结局测量20条(sino-nasal outcome test-20, SNOT-20)对60例慢性鼻-鼻窦炎鼻息肉患者术前、术后1个月和术后6个月进行随访调查与评估,并从中选取多组鼻窦炎鼻息肉的患者采取不同范围的手术来评估手术方式对改善患者症状和生活质量的影响。结果经鼻内镜手术治疗,患者术后一个月SF-36量表的生理角色、心理健康、情感角色、总体健康等部分维度以及SNOT-20量表的20个条目总分与5大条目总分等指标均开始出现明显好转(P＜0．05),术后2～6个月上述指标则无显著提高(P＞0．05)。术后6个月症状与QOL状态较术前均全面改善,而手术方式对患者症状和QOL状态影响则无统计学意义（P＞0.05）。结论慢性鼻-鼻窦炎鼻息肉患者鼻内镜手术后6个月内症状基本缓解,生活质量基本恢复常态,改良鼻内镜手术对慢性鼻-鼻窦炎鼻息肉患者症状和生活质量的改善与传统鼻内镜手术基本相同。     

Deterioration in quality‐of‐life of late (10‐year) survivors of head and neck cancer

Objectives: To determine 10-year quality-of-life (QOL) in head and neck cancer patients and to examine the potential predictors of late QOL. Design: Prospective 10-year (QOL) assessment in a cohort of head and neck cancer patients. Setting: Tertiary referral head and neck cancer centre in Auckland, New Zealand. Participants: Two hundred patients diagnosed and were treated for head and neck cancer. Exclusion criteria were blindness, learning difficulties or inability to understand or read English. Main outcome measures: Quality-of-life at 10 years measured by Auckland QOL questionnaire, and analysed for associations with the following co-variates: age, gender; co-morbidities (alcohol intake and smoking), type and stage of disease; treatment modality; and QOL measures. Results: At 10 years following diagnosis, overall QOL (life satisfaction), decreased significantly by an average of 11% (95% CI: −5, −17) compared with before treatment, and by 15% when compared with years 1 and 2. Pre-treatment QOL significantly predicted late QOL, whilst QOL 1 year after treatment did not. None of the socio-demographic, disease- or treatment-related factors predicted long-term QOL on univariate analysis, but this may be due to the small sample size. Conclusions: This observed, late drop in the QOL of head and neck cancer patients requires further corroboration and investigation. Due to small sample sizes associated with long-term studies in head and neck cancer cohorts, studies of predictors of long-term QOL will only be likely to succeed if done as multi-centre studies. As there is some evidence to suggest that psychosocial interventions improve the QOL of head and neck cancer patients, it may be appropriate to consider screening for risk of a late deterioration in QOL in order to plan appropriate psycho-social intervention.     

慢性鼻-鼻窦炎鼻息肉内镜鼻窦手术前后症状与生存质量的评估

目的探讨内镜鼻窦手术治疗对慢性鼻-鼻窦炎鼻息肉患者症状与生存质量（quality of life，QOL）的有效作用及其转变规律。方法通过视觉模拟量表（visual analog scale，VAS）、医学结局研究简表36项健康调查（medical outcome study short-form 36-items health survey，MOS SF-36，简称SF-36）和鼻腔鼻窦结局测量20条（sino-nasal outcome test-20，SNOT-20）等症状与QOL量表，对120例慢性鼻．鼻窦炎鼻息肉患者术前、术后3个月和术后6个月进行前瞻性随访调查与评估，并与200名健康体检者的QOL状况进行对比。结果经内镜鼻窦手术治疗，患者术后3个月VAS量表的单个症状总分与总体症状、SF-36量表的生理角色与总体健康等部分维度以及SNOT-20量表的20个条目总分与5大条目总分等指标均开始出现明显好转（P〈0．05），术后3～6个月上述指标则无显著提高（P〉0．05），术后6个月症状与QOL状态较术前均全面改善。SF-36量表显示慢性鼻-鼻窦炎鼻息肉患者与健康体检者差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05），但VAS量表提示患者嗅觉减退和异常鼻漏等症状依然存在。SNOT-20量表提示慢性鼻-鼻窦炎鼻息肉患者睡眠障碍和异常鼻漏等重要问题仍未解决，与健康体检者相比差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。结论慢性鼻-鼻窦炎鼻息肉患者内镜鼻窦手术治疗后6个月症状总体上得到解决，生存质量基本恢复常态，但嗅觉减退、异常鼻漏和睡眠障碍等重要问题仍明显存在，有待进一步解决。     

Quality-of-life outcomes in the evaluation of head and neck cancer treatments

OBJECTIVES: To review the published literature to evaluate the design, use of terminology, and interpretation of results in studies using quality-of-life (QOL) instruments to measure differences between head and neck cancer treatments at a point in time or to report changes over time in one or more treatment groups. DATA SOURCE: MEDLINE search for subject headings "head and neck neoplasms" (as a main topic) and "quality of life" or "health status" restricted to English-language sources and a 10-year period from 1989 to 1999. STUDY SELECTION: Four hundred forty-five abstracts were reviewed to find articles using an instrument to compare head and neck cancer therapy groups with a QOL outcome (13.7% included). DATA EXTRACTION: Two readers reviewed each article to determine how terminology was used, if a scientific study design was used, and if differences or changes in scores were clinically interpreted. RESULTS: Sixty-one articles were reviewed. Forty different instruments were used. Terminology was used inconsistently in 21 (34.4%) of the 61 articles. A scientific study design was used in only 11 (18.0%) of the 61 articles (P<.001). A clinical interpretation of results was given in 16 (26.2%) of the 61 articles (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: While QOL outcomes show promise for assisting with treatment decisions in head and neck cancer therapy, few studies using instruments to measure QOL outcomes are hypothesis driven and clinical interpretations of results are not commonly provided. We recommend that future studies identify the construct to be measured, specify comparator groups and hypotheses a priori, and provide clinical interpretations of results.     

Long-term effect of adenotonsillectomy on quality of life in pediatric patients

HYPOTHESIS: Adenotonsillectomy improves general and disease-specific quality of life for properly selected patients suffering for upper airway obstruction secondary to adenotonsillar hypertrophy (UAO) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, nonrandomized questionnaire. SPECIFIC AIMS: To evaluate quality of life in patients with UAO and OSA using general quality of life instruments as well as disease-specific instruments. The results will be compared both pre- and postoperatively. METHODS: Fifty-five patients aged 2 to 16 with the clinical diagnosis of UAO or OSA were recruited. The caregivers completed Children's Health Questionnaire Parent Form-28 (CHQPF-28) and OSA-18 quality of life measures both pre- and postoperatively in the long and short term. Statistical analysis was performed using the unpaired Student t test, P value less than.05, and Spearman Rank coefficient. RESULTS: CHQ-PF28 scores were improved in the Physical Summary parameter in long-term follow-up. Psychosocial scores did not improve significantly. OSA-18 scores showed improvement in both the short-and long-term scores. Physical findings and symptoms did not impact scores in any domain. CONCLUSIONS: Quality of life in children with OSA does improve after adenotonsillectomy. Disease-specific clinometric instruments show improvement in domains affected by the disease process. However, instruments used to assess general quality of life may show physical improvement but not psychosocial.     

Treatment Outcomes and Quality of Life in Oropharyngeal Cancer after Surgery-based versus Radiation-based Treatment

Objectives

Advances in reconstruction and conservative surgery and the importance of quality of life (QOL) encouraged this reevaluation of surgery-based treatments for oropharyngeal cancer. We tried to compare treatment outcome and QOL after surgery-based versus radiation-based treatment in oropharyngeal cancer.

Methods

The 133 eligible patients were divided into surgery-based and radiotherapy (RT)-based treatment groups. Medical records were reviewed, and EORTC QLQ-C30 and HN65 questionnaires were completed for survivors. Three-year overall survivals, disease-free survivals, locoregional control rates, and QOL scores were compared between the two groups.

Results

Demographic data and overall stages were not significantly different between the two groups, and all survival rates were non-significantly different, either. The scores for most QOL items were equivalent, however, for a few items, scores were significantly better in surgery-based group.

Conclusion

The surgery-based group achieved equivalent treatment outcomes and slightly better QOL scores than the RT-based group. The results of this study suggest that surgery could still be considered as a first-line therapy for oropharyngeal cancer.     

Endoscopic and quality-of-life outcomes after revision endoscopic sinus surgery

OBJECTIVES: First, to examine the impact of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) on endoscopic and quality-of-life (QOL) outcomes after revision ESS as compared to primary ESS. Second, to evaluate whether or not other risk factors and/or co-morbidities influence the relationship between revision surgery status and outcomes of ESS. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective observational study with an internal comparison group. METHODS: Preoperative computed tomography scores, pre and postoperative endoscopy scores, and two validated disease-specific QOL instruments, the Rhinosinusitis Disability Index (RSDI) and Chronic Sinusitis Survey (CSS), were collected on a prospective cohort of patients undergoing ESS for chronic rhinosinusitis. Data were analyzed using Pearson's chi and multiple logistic regression models. RESULTS: Mean preoperative Lund-Mackay computed tomography scan scores were similar in primary and revision surgery patients. In patients without polyps, revision ESS patients were 3.88 times more likely to improve on endoscopy scores than primary ESS patients (95% confidence interval 1.70, 8.83; P = .001). In nasal polyp patients, there was no difference by revision status (odds ratio 0.48; 95% confidence interval 0.15, 1.59; P = .23). The odds of improving on the RSDI (odds ratio 0.51, 95% confidence interval 0.25, 1.04, P = .065) and CSS (odds ratio 0.98, 95% confidence interval 0.51, 1.89, P = .950) were not significantly different by revision status. CONCLUSIONS: Both revision and primary ESS patients improved after ESS with regard to endoscopy, RSDI, and CSS scores. In non-polyp patients, revision ESS patients were more likely to improve on endoscopy scores than primary ESS patients; there was no difference in polyp patients by revision status. Revision ESS patients and primary ESS patients were equally as likely to improve on two QOL instruments.     

Objective testing and quality-of-life evaluation in surgical candidates with chronic rhinosinusitis

BACKGROUND: Discordance has been reported between patient symptoms and objective measures of disease in chronic sinusitis, such as radiographic evaluation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between presurgical objective studies and presurgical quality of life (QOL). This work was designed as a cross-sectional study of 90 consecutive patients presenting to a tertiary rhinology practice for surgical management of sinonasal disease. METHODS: QOL assessment was performed using disease-specific instruments (Chronic Sinusitis Survey and Rhinosinusitis Disability Index). Computed tomography (CT) scans were scored according to the Lund-Mackay CT scoring system and endoscopy evaluation was scored by the system proposed by Lund and Kennedy. RESULTS: Ninety surgical candidates were enrolled and included in the analysis. Correlation between the QOL total scores and subscale scores was excellent (r = 0.39; p = 0.0001) as was the correlation between CT and endoscopy scores (r = 0.59; p = 0.0001). In contrast, correlation between QOL and objective measures was poor. These results were not significantly influenced by subgroup analysis by diagnosis, comorbidity, and other patient factors. CONCLUSION: Preoperative objective measures of CRS disease show little, if any, correlation with disease-specific QOL measures in surgical candidates. It is likely that CT and endoscopy are measuring a different aspect of CRS disease than the QOL measures. In addition, it is possible that preoperative QOL, either alone or in combination with CT and endoscopy, may prove important in selecting patients most likely to benefit from surgery.     

Quality of life and health status in pediatric tonsil and adenoid disease

OBJECTIVE: To assess the baseline global health status and quality of life (QOL) in children with tonsil and adenoid disease. DESIGN: Cross-sectional multicenter survey series. SETTINGS: A tertiary academic pediatric specialty hospital and a tertiary academic hospital in 2 different cities. PATIENTS AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive series of 55 parents of children who were seen for tonsil and adenoid disease. INTERVENTION AND METHOD: Cross-sectional survey of the health status of affected children to assess their QOL and its relationship to tonsil and adenoid disease. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Quality-of-life subscale scores of affected children on the Child Health Questionnaire version PF28 (CHQ-PF28); comparisons of population data from healthy normal children and children with asthma and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. RESULTS: The overall health status and QOL of children with tonsil and adenoid disease is significantly worse than those of healthy normal children, as demonstrated by lower mean scores on several CHQ-PF28 subscales, including general health, physical functioning, behavior, bodily pain, and parental impact (emotional). In addition, the general health perception of children with tonsil and adenoid disease is similar to the perceptions of children with asthma and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, but several aspects of health status, as measured by CHQ-PF28 subscale scores, were significantly worse in children with tonsil and adenoid disease. CONCLUSION: The health status impact of tonsil and adenoid disease appears to be quite significant, particularly in aspects related to the parental impact of the child's disease.     

The skin cancer index: clinical responsiveness and predictors of quality of life

OBJECTIVE: To establish the clinical responsiveness of the Skin Cancer Index (SCI), a new disease-specific quality of life (QOL) instrument, and to assess demographic and clinical factors which impact QOL in patients with nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study of 183 patients with NMSC of the face and neck referred to a tertiary care Mohs surgery clinic. METHODS: The SCI is a 15 item, validated, disease-specific QOL instrument with 3 distinct subscales, Emotion, Social, and Appearance. Higher scores reflect better QOL. The SCI and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), a general dermatology instrument, was administered at initial consultation and 4 months after surgical treatment. Multivariate analysis was conducted to assess demographic and clinical factors predictive of QOL for both instruments. RESULTS: The SCI total score and all three subscale scores increased with treatment, demonstrating strong evidence of responsiveness over time (P < .001) in contrast with the DLQI (P = .46). Predictors of poorer QOL for the SCI included female sex and cancers located on the lip. Patients who demonstrated greatest improvement in QOL with treatment included those who were younger (<50 yr) and had lower reported household income. Also, first time NMSC patients and those patients who underwent less extensive reconstructions demonstrated greater improvements in QOL. CONCLUSION: The SCI is a sensitive and responsive QOL instrument for patients with NMSC. Distinct demographic and clinical variables that impact QOL have been demonstrated using this multidimensional, disease-specific instrument.     

Patient's quality of life and hearing outcomes after stapes surgery

Objectives: To determine the quality of life (QOL) after stapes surgery and whether audiological parameters for hearing correlate with specific QOL factors. Design: A retrospective cross‐sectional study. Setting: A tertiary referral centre. Participants: A series of 35 patients who underwent stapes surgery of which three were excluded because they were <18 years of age, chronically or mentally ill, or in a dependant relationship. Response rate was 93% (30/32). Nine were further excluded because they had revision or bilateral surgery, or missing data. Twenty‐one patients were included in this study. Main outcome measures: The Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI) was used to evaluate general QOL and the Hearing Disability and Handicap Scale (HDHS) was used as a disease‐specific measure. The Belfast Rule of Thumb and Glasgow Benefit Plot assessed hearing outcomes. Results: Operative success was 86% using the Belfast Rule of Thumb and 95% had closure of the air–bone gap to within 20 dB. 81.8% of patients reported a better overall QOL as surgery. Glasgow Benefit Inventory Social and GBI Physical scores correlated positively with the HDHS speech component (P < 0.05). The duration of hearing loss correlated inversely with the average HDHS score (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The majority of patients report a better QOL as undergoing stapes surgery. Speech impacts on people's physical and social QOL of patients. Quality of life tools, in addition to objective audiologic measurements can provide clinicians with patients’ subjective perspective that helps guide clinical decision‐making and counselling.     

Quality of life after parotid and temporal bone surgery for cancer

OBJECTIVES: The purposes of this study were to examine the quality of life (QL) of patients who received treatment for cancer of the parotid or temporal region, and to identify factors contributing to it. The relationships between clinician-based measures of treatment outcome and the patient-based counterparts were also evaluated. METHODS: A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted on 23 patients who had received either a temporal bone resection or a combination of parotidectomy and radiotherapy. The QL survey involved both global QL and measures of the appearance, communication, hearing, physical, psychological, and social domains. Patients were assessed clinically for their performance status, facial nerve function, disfigurement, and hearing and the results were compared with patient-rated QL. Correlation between the QL variables and global QL was identified using Spearman correlation tests. RESULTS: Ongoing physical symptoms, communication difficulties, and social disturbances were associated with poorer global QL (P <.05). No correlation was detected between global QL and objective disfigurement, facial function, and measures of hearing loss. With the exception of hearing testing, clinical assessments generally did not correlate well with patient ratings. CONCLUSION: QL measures provide insight into patients' perceptions of the treatment outcome but do not necessarily correlate with the clinicians' views. The use of a global QL measure overcomes the difficulty of extrapolating the impact of symptom scores or observational measures on patients' overall quality of survival.     

Quality of life after unilateral acoustic neuroma surgery via middle cranial fossa approach

Conclusions

Patients with acoustic neuroma experienced reduced quality of life (QOL) after surgery. Individual factors did not have a significant effect on QOL. In the future, QOL should be a basic factor in the outcome evaluation of different therapeutic regimens in the treatment of acoustic neuroma.

Objective

To measure the QOL of patients who underwent unilateral acoustic neuroma surgery via the middle cranial fossa approach.

Material and methods

The Short Form-36 (SF-36) Health Survey and a self-designed disease-specific questionnaire were used during follow-up examinations to assess health-related QOL. The pure-tone average was used to specify hearing ability. Facial nerve function was described using the House–Brackmann grading system. A total of 28 male and 14 female patients who underwent surgery between 1997 and 2001 were included in the study.

Results

Patients’ QOL scores revealed significant reductions in QOL in comparison to normative German QOL data. Gender, age, tumor size or location and clinical symptoms such as hearing loss and restricted facial nerve function did not have an effect on QOL. The SF-36 scales physical functioning, role functioning—physical, bodily pain, general health, social functioning and role functioning—emotional demonstrated significant QOL reductions.     

Importance of patient,tumour and treatment related factors on quality of life in head and neck cancer patients after definitive treatment

The purpose of this study is to assess patient, tumour and treatment related factors on quality of life (QoL) outcomes of patients who received definitive or postoperative radiotherapy ± chemotherapy for head and neck (H&N) cancer. In this cross-sectional study, 110 H&N cancer patients were evaluated in follow-up visit and were asked to fill out the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL Core Questionnaire (QLQ-C-30) and H&N Module (QLQ-H&N35). Patients were also graded for their late side effects using EORTC/RTOG scoring system. The QLQ C-30 and QLQ-H&N35 mean scores were compared using ANOVA analysis for these variables: age, gender, occupation, educational status, social security status, place of residence, tumour localization, clinical stage, comorbidity, Karnofsky performance score, treatment modality and side effects. Median follow-up was 29 (4–155) months. Tumour localization was significant factor affecting physical (P = 0.03), social (P = 0.01), cognitive (P = 0.002) functioning. Treatment modality had significant impact on the physical (P = 0.02) and cognitive scores (P = 0.008). Global QoL was affected significantly by disease stage (P = 0.01) and occupation (P = 0.01). The QLQ-H&N35 scores were found significantly higher in patients with moderate/severe late morbidity. Tumour localization and the treatment modality are the most important factors affecting the QoL of H&N cancer patients treated definitively.