Veit Zebralla1, Susanne Wiegand1, Andreas Dietz1, Gunnar Wichmann1, Thomas Neumuth2, Anja Mehnert-Theuerkauf3, Andreas Hinz3. 1. Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany. 2. Innovation Center Computer Assisted Surgery (ICCAS), University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany. 3. Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Head and neck cancer (HNC)-specific symptoms have a substantial impact on health-related quality of life. The aim of this study was to determine whether self-reported dysphagia, voice problems and pain of HNC patients changed over time and whether specific clinical or sociodemographic variables were associated with these symptoms. METHODS: HNC patients (n = 299) in an outpatient setting answered questionnaires (Eating Assessment Tool-10; questions from the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC H&N35) on dysphagia, voice problems and pain, collected with the software "OncoFunction" at three different timepoints (t1-t3) after diagnosis. The mean score changes from t1 to t3 were expressed in terms of effect sizes d. The impact of sociodemographic and clinical factors on the course of the variables was tested with multivariate analyses of variance. RESULTS: Dysphagia, voice impairment and pain in HNC survivors significantly improved over a period of approximately 14 months after diagnosis. Tumor site, stage, treatment modality, occupational state and ECOG state were significantly correlated with self-reported functional outcome. The pain level of the HNC patients was rather low. CONCLUSIONS: Patients suffer from functional impairments after HNC treatment, but an improvement in self-reported symptoms could be demonstrated within this time period.
BACKGROUND:Head and neck cancer (HNC)-specific symptoms have a substantial impact on health-related quality of life. The aim of this study was to determine whether self-reported dysphagia, voice problems and pain of HNC patients changed over time and whether specific clinical or sociodemographic variables were associated with these symptoms. METHODS: HNC patients (n = 299) in an outpatient setting answered questionnaires (Eating Assessment Tool-10; questions from the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC H&N35) on dysphagia, voice problems and pain, collected with the software "OncoFunction" at three different timepoints (t1-t3) after diagnosis. The mean score changes from t1 to t3 were expressed in terms of effect sizes d. The impact of sociodemographic and clinical factors on the course of the variables was tested with multivariate analyses of variance. RESULTS:Dysphagia, voice impairment and pain in HNC survivors significantly improved over a period of approximately 14 months after diagnosis. Tumor site, stage, treatment modality, occupational state and ECOG state were significantly correlated with self-reported functional outcome. The pain level of the HNC patients was rather low. CONCLUSIONS:Patients suffer from functional impairments after HNC treatment, but an improvement in self-reported symptoms could be demonstrated within this time period.
Entities:
Keywords:
HNC; OncoFunction; PRO; aftercare; dysphagia; head and neck cancer; survivor
Authors: Theresa Wald; Veit Zebralla; Maren Boege; Viktor Kunz; Thomas Neumuth; Andreas Dietz; Gunnar Wichmann; Susanne Wiegand Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-09-18 Impact factor: 4.614