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Quality of dying in head and neck cancer patients: the role of surgical palliation

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Abstract

To study the role of surgery for symptom palliation in patients with advanced head and neck malignancy. Between 2000 and 2011, patients with locoregionally advanced cancer in the head and neck region, who chose surgical palliation for symptom control, were studied retrospectively. During the study period, 52 patients were included. The index tumour included carcinoma of the maxilla (23.1 %), tongue (19.2 %), larynx/hypopharynx (15.4 %), post-radiation sarcoma (11.5 %), primary sarcoma (11.5 %), carcinoma of the lower alveolus (11.5 %), nasal mucosal melanoma (3.9 %) and metastatic tumour in the head and neck region (3.9 %). The major symptoms included bleeding (53.9 %), tumour pain (19.2 %), dysphagia (11.5 %), non-healing ulcerations (7.7 %), airway obstruction (5.8 %) and pathological fracture of the mandible (1.9 %). Ligation of the carotid artery was performed in 10 patients, complete resection of tumour in 35, and surgical debulking of the tumour in 7 patients. Mean survival of the patients was 5.6 months. The majority of the patients achieved satisfactory and persistent control of symptoms. One patient died from pneumonia during the hospital stay, and the rest were discharged after a mean duration of 16.4 days. In selected patients, surgery is effective in palliating symptoms which are otherwise difficult to manage. Detailed planning and good communication is the key to success in improving the quality of dying.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, 102 Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, People’s Republic of China

    Jimmy Yu Wai Chan, Victor Shing Howe To, Stanley Tien Sze Wong & William Ignace Wei

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  1. Jimmy Yu Wai Chan
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  2. Victor Shing Howe To
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  3. Stanley Tien Sze Wong
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  4. William Ignace Wei
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Correspondence to Jimmy Yu Wai Chan.

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Chan, J.Y.W., To, V.S.H., Wong, S.T.S. et al. Quality of dying in head and neck cancer patients: the role of surgical palliation. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 270, 681–688 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-012-2059-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-012-2059-7

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