Philipp Jehn1, Sabine Swantje Linsen2, Alexander-Nicolai Zeller3, Fabian Matthias Eckstein3, Michael-Tobias Neuhaus4, Nils-Claudius Gellrich3, Gertrud Krüskemper5, Fritjof Lentge3, Simon Spalthoff3, Philippe Korn3. 1. Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, Hannover, 30625, Germany. jehn.philipp@mh-hannover.de. 2. Department of Prosthodontics; Preclinical Education and Dental Material Science, University Hospital Bonn, Welschnonnenstr. 17, 53111, Bonn, Germany. 3. Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, Hannover, 30625, Germany. 4. Department of Oral, Craniomaxillofacial and Facial Plastic Surgery, University Hospital of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 12, Leipzig, 04103, Germany. 5. Department of Medical Psychology, Ruhr University of Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, Building MA 0/145, 44780, Bochum, Germany.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Patients with oral cancer have gender-specific differences with respect to health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psychosocial variables (PV). The aim of the present study was to evaluate HRQoL and PV outcomes in patients treated for oral squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS: Data of 1234 patients were collected from a multicenter rehabilitation study of the German-Austrian-Swiss Cooperative Group on Tumours of the Maxillofacial Region (DÖSAK). Patient characteristics, oncological variables, post-treatment impairments, general quality of life (QoL), and PV (coping strategies, control beliefs, personal traits, perceived social support, depression, anxiety, and fear of tumor recurrence) were recorded. RESULTS: After treatment, HRQoL was similar between genders concerning general QoL, but men experienced significantly more treatment-related functional impairments influencing HRQoL. PV revealed gender-specific coping strategies, with women reporting significantly more "depressive coping," "religiosity," "fatalistic externality," and higher "social burden." Owing to their religious coping strategies, fatalistic attitude, and perceived higher social integration, women demonstrated superior disease acceptance, despite higher depression, anxiety, and lower psychosocial resilience. Conversely, men reported more introverted personal traits and lower social integration. CONCLUSION: Interventions during oral cancer treatment should address PV and have gender-specific elements to improve HRQoL after therapy.
PURPOSE: Patients with oral cancer have gender-specific differences with respect to health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psychosocial variables (PV). The aim of the present study was to evaluate HRQoL and PV outcomes in patients treated for oral squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS: Data of 1234 patients were collected from a multicenter rehabilitation study of the German-Austrian-Swiss Cooperative Group on Tumours of the Maxillofacial Region (DÖSAK). Patient characteristics, oncological variables, post-treatment impairments, general quality of life (QoL), and PV (coping strategies, control beliefs, personal traits, perceived social support, depression, anxiety, and fear of tumor recurrence) were recorded. RESULTS: After treatment, HRQoL was similar between genders concerning general QoL, but men experienced significantly more treatment-related functional impairments influencing HRQoL. PV revealed gender-specific coping strategies, with women reporting significantly more "depressive coping," "religiosity," "fatalistic externality," and higher "social burden." Owing to their religious coping strategies, fatalistic attitude, and perceived higher social integration, women demonstrated superior disease acceptance, despite higher depression, anxiety, and lower psychosocial resilience. Conversely, men reported more introverted personal traits and lower social integration. CONCLUSION: Interventions during oral cancer treatment should address PV and have gender-specific elements to improve HRQoL after therapy.
Authors: J Honorato; M S Rebelo; F L Dias; D R Camisasca; P A Faria; G Azevedo e Silva; S Q C Lourenço Journal: Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg Date: 2015-07-14 Impact factor: 2.789