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

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Abstract

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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, Dokuz Eylul University Medical School, 35340, Izmir, Turkey

    Zumre Arican Alicikus, Fadime Akman, Ozlem Uruk Ataman, Nihal Dag, Esmahan Orcin, Betul Bakis & Munir Kinay

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  1. Zumre Arican Alicikus
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  2. Fadime Akman
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  3. Ozlem Uruk Ataman
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  6. Betul Bakis
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  7. Munir Kinay
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Correspondence to Zumre Arican Alicikus.

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Alicikus, Z.A., Akman, F., Ataman, O.U. et al. Importance of patient, tumour and treatment related factors on quality of life in head and neck cancer patients after definitive treatment. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 266, 1461–1468 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-008-0889-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-008-0889-0

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