Megan Watson1, Allison Drosdowsky2, Jacqui Frowen3, June Corry4. 1. Department of Nutrition and Speech Pathology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: megan.watson@petermac.org. 2. Department of Cancer Experiences Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 3. Department of Nutrition and Speech Pathology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 4. Division of Radiation Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Radiation Oncology Department, Genesis Care, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate long-term voice outcomes and voice-related quality of life (QOL) for early glottic cancer treated with radiotherapy. STUDY DESIGN: Long-term exploratory follow-up study of a prospective patient cohort comparing outcomes at a mean of 11 years postradiotherapy with the original 1-year posttreatment results. METHOD: Eight patients completed voice tasks for auditory perception and acoustic and aerodynamic measures. Patient-reported voice-related QOL (VR-QOL) and voice quality were measured. Changes in outcomes over time were analysed using repeated-measures linear mixed models. RESULTS: Acoustic and aerodynamic outcomes remained stable from 1 year postradiotherapy to long-term follow-up, with only jitter mildly increasing from 1.9% at 1 year posttreatment to 2.8% (difference = 1.0%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.1-1.9). Perceptually, voice remained relatively stable with only phonation breaks slightly increasing within the normal range, from 1.1 to 1.7 (difference = 0.6, 95% CI = 0.3-0.9) and breathy quality increasing from normal to slight impairment, with scores increasing from 1.8 to 2.4 (difference = 0.6, 95% CI = 0.3-1.1). QOL scores indicate a good level of VR-QOL that were unchanged at long-term follow-up when compared with 1 year posttreatment. CONCLUSIONS: Improvement in voice outcomes found at 1 year postradiotherapy were largely maintained long term, with only minor changes observed. QOL scores indicate that a high level of VR-QOL was maintained many years after curative radiotherapy.
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate long-term voice outcomes and voice-related quality of life (QOL) for early glottic cancer treated with radiotherapy. STUDY DESIGN: Long-term exploratory follow-up study of a prospective patient cohort comparing outcomes at a mean of 11 years postradiotherapy with the original 1-year posttreatment results. METHOD: Eight patients completed voice tasks for auditory perception and acoustic and aerodynamic measures. Patient-reported voice-related QOL (VR-QOL) and voice quality were measured. Changes in outcomes over time were analysed using repeated-measures linear mixed models. RESULTS: Acoustic and aerodynamic outcomes remained stable from 1 year postradiotherapy to long-term follow-up, with only jitter mildly increasing from 1.9% at 1 year posttreatment to 2.8% (difference = 1.0%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.1-1.9). Perceptually, voice remained relatively stable with only phonation breaks slightly increasing within the normal range, from 1.1 to 1.7 (difference = 0.6, 95% CI = 0.3-0.9) and breathy quality increasing from normal to slight impairment, with scores increasing from 1.8 to 2.4 (difference = 0.6, 95% CI = 0.3-1.1). QOL scores indicate a good level of VR-QOL that were unchanged at long-term follow-up when compared with 1 year posttreatment. CONCLUSIONS: Improvement in voice outcomes found at 1 year postradiotherapy were largely maintained long term, with only minor changes observed. QOL scores indicate that a high level of VR-QOL was maintained many years after curative radiotherapy.