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A prospective study of quality of life in head and neck cancer patients. Part II: Longitudinal data

Bjordal, Kristin ; Ahlner-Elmqvist, Marianne LU ; Hammerlid, Eva ; Boysen, Morten ; Evensen, Jan F. ; Biörklund, Anders LU ; Jannert, Magnus LU ; Westin, Thomas and Kaasa, Stein (2001) In Laryngoscope 111(8). p.1440-1452
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of patients with head and neck cancer during and after treatment with radiotherapy, surgery, and chemotherapy. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, descriptive study. METHODS: All new patients in four institutions in Norway and Sweden were asked to participate. Health-related quality of life was assessed at baseline and at 1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 months after start of treatment by means of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Core Quality of Life Questionnaire and the EORTC head and neck cancer-specific questionnaire. Baseline results are described elsewhere; longitudinal results are presented in the current article. Three hundred fifty-seven patients with... (More)
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of patients with head and neck cancer during and after treatment with radiotherapy, surgery, and chemotherapy. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, descriptive study. METHODS: All new patients in four institutions in Norway and Sweden were asked to participate. Health-related quality of life was assessed at baseline and at 1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 months after start of treatment by means of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Core Quality of Life Questionnaire and the EORTC head and neck cancer-specific questionnaire. Baseline results are described elsewhere; longitudinal results are presented in the current article. Three hundred fifty-seven patients with cancer in the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, nose, sinuses, and salivary glands and neck node metastases from unknown primaries filled in the questionnaires at baseline. RESULTS: Seventy-eight percent of the patients who were alive after 12 months filled in all questionnaires (218/280). The general trend was that HRQL deteriorated significantly during treatment, followed by a slow recovery until the 12-month follow-up with few exceptions (senses, dry mouth, and sexuality). Patients who later died reported worse HRQL at each assessment point compared with patients who filled in all six questionnaires, whereas those who dropped out of the study for other reasons were quite similar to patients who filled in all questionnaires. The patients with pharyngeal cancer in general reported worse HRQL compared with the other groups and did not reach pretreatment values in several domains. Stage was also an important factor for HRQL in patients with head and neck cancer. CONCLUSION: Detailed knowledge about the differences between groups and changes over time may aid us in the communication with patients and in the design of intervention studies focusing on improvement of the support and rehabilitation of patients with head and neck cancer. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Health-related quality of life, head and neck cancer, prospective study, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer core quality of life questionnaire, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer head and neck cancer-specific quality of life questionnaire
in
Laryngoscope
volume
111
issue
8
pages
1440 - 1452
publisher
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
external identifiers
  • pmid:11568582
  • scopus:0034908736
ISSN
1531-4995
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
a7a94416-e723-4236-b8ef-6dc92676af5e (old id 1120638)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:59:37
date last changed
2022-04-23 01:54:12
@article{a7a94416-e723-4236-b8ef-6dc92676af5e,
  abstract     = {{OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of patients with head and neck cancer during and after treatment with radiotherapy, surgery, and chemotherapy. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, descriptive study. METHODS: All new patients in four institutions in Norway and Sweden were asked to participate. Health-related quality of life was assessed at baseline and at 1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 months after start of treatment by means of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Core Quality of Life Questionnaire and the EORTC head and neck cancer-specific questionnaire. Baseline results are described elsewhere; longitudinal results are presented in the current article. Three hundred fifty-seven patients with cancer in the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, nose, sinuses, and salivary glands and neck node metastases from unknown primaries filled in the questionnaires at baseline. RESULTS: Seventy-eight percent of the patients who were alive after 12 months filled in all questionnaires (218/280). The general trend was that HRQL deteriorated significantly during treatment, followed by a slow recovery until the 12-month follow-up with few exceptions (senses, dry mouth, and sexuality). Patients who later died reported worse HRQL at each assessment point compared with patients who filled in all six questionnaires, whereas those who dropped out of the study for other reasons were quite similar to patients who filled in all questionnaires. The patients with pharyngeal cancer in general reported worse HRQL compared with the other groups and did not reach pretreatment values in several domains. Stage was also an important factor for HRQL in patients with head and neck cancer. CONCLUSION: Detailed knowledge about the differences between groups and changes over time may aid us in the communication with patients and in the design of intervention studies focusing on improvement of the support and rehabilitation of patients with head and neck cancer.}},
  author       = {{Bjordal, Kristin and Ahlner-Elmqvist, Marianne and Hammerlid, Eva and Boysen, Morten and Evensen, Jan F. and Biörklund, Anders and Jannert, Magnus and Westin, Thomas and Kaasa, Stein}},
  issn         = {{1531-4995}},
  keywords     = {{Health-related quality of life; head and neck cancer; prospective study; European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer core quality of life questionnaire; European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer head and neck cancer-specific quality of life questionnaire}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{8}},
  pages        = {{1440--1452}},
  publisher    = {{Lippincott Williams & Wilkins}},
  series       = {{Laryngoscope}},
  title        = {{A prospective study of quality of life in head and neck cancer patients. Part II: Longitudinal data}},
  volume       = {{111}},
  year         = {{2001}},
}