Purpose
Patients with head and neck cancer experience multiple complaints during treatment which also affect quality of life. The present study assessed predictors of temporal changes in quality of life over a 6-month period among patients treated for head and neck cancer.
Methods
Patients completed questionnaires at the beginning (t1) and end (t2) of their hospital stay and 3 (t3) and 6 months (t4) thereafter. Quality of life was evaluated using EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-H&N35. Descriptive statistics were computed across measurement points for different domains of quality of life; predictors were identified using general linear models.
Results
Eighty-three patients (mean age: 58, SD = 11, 20.5% female) participated. Quality of life decreased during treatment and slowly recovered thereafter. From t1 to t4, there were adverse changes that patients consider to be relevant in physical and role functioning, fatigue, dyspnea, insomnia, loss of appetite, financial difficulties, problems with senses and teeth, limited mouth opening, mouth dryness, social eating, coughing, and sticky saliva. Temporal changes in global quality of life between t1 and t2 were predicted by tumor stage (B = − 5.6, p = 0.04) and well-being (B = 0.8, p = 0.04); radiotherapy was a predictor of temporal changes in physical functioning (B = − 12.5, p = 0.03).
Conclusions
Quality of life decreases during treatment, half a year after hospital stay there are still restrictions in some areas. A special focus should be given on head and neck cancer patient’s quality of life in the aftercare.
