Longitudinal assessment of quality of life in laryngeal cancer patients

✍ Scribed by Marcy A. List; Chris A. Ritter-Sterr; Theresa M. Baker; Laura A. Colangelo; Gregory Matz; Barbara Roa Pauloski; Jeri A. Logemann

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 921 KB
• Volume: 18
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1043-3074
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0347(199601/02)18:1<1::aid-hed1>3.0.co;2-7

✦ Synopsis

Background. Although quality of life (QL) and performance status are important outcomes in head and neck (HN) cancer, there is little systematic inclusion of these parameters in treatment trials.

Methods. Rate and recovery of function were evaluated over a 6-month period in 21 laryngeal cancer patients, 7 in each of 3 treatment groups: total laryngectomy (group l ) , hemilaryngectomy (group 2), and radiotherapy only (group 3). Assessment included Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Patients (PSS-HN: Diet, Speech, and Eating in Public subscales) and the FACT-HN, a multidimensional QL measure.

Resulrs. Groups differed in patterns of performance recovery over time in expected directions. Group 1 recovered most slowly, without achieving normal functioning by 6 months; most of group 2 returned to normal functioning by 3