Evolution of quality of life assessment in head and neck cancer.

Quality of life assessment as part of clinical practice in head and neck oncology began over 40 years ago. Early studies were narrative and cross-sectional; these were followed, at first, by simple quantitative measures of various parameters and later by longitudinal studies of greater complexity. More recently quality of life has been employed in a randomized clinical trial of head and neck cancer. Quality of life has evolved to become a standard means of assessing clinical outcomes, and an accepted end point measurement in clinical trials, to be considered alongside survivorship and side effects/complications.