Quality of Life of Patients with Oral Cavity Cancer

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Abstract

Introduction:

In recent years the quality of life of patients is very important in monitoring the treatment and therapeutic procedure success. It has become a significant factor in assessing the therapeutic procedure accomplishment, and for the first time the patient alone can access the success of the respective therapy. Cancer of the oral cavity is one of the most common cancers of the head and neck, and is one of the ten most common causes of death in the world. In the majority of cases, cancer of the oral cavity is detected in an advanced stage when therapeutic options are reduced, and the prognosis is much worse. Cancer of the oral cavity is 10 times more common in men. Assessment of quality of life should be an indicator of the multidisciplinary treatment success and it should point to areas in which the affected person requires support.

Aim of the study:

To examine the quality of life of patients with oral cavity cancer.

Materials and methods:

The study was conducted at the Clinic of Maxillofacial Surgery of the Clinical Center University of Sarajevo (CCUS), through a survey on patients with verified oral cavity cancer, questionnaire related to socio-demographic characteristics of the patients and the University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire (UW-QOL). The results were included in the database and statistically processed in the SPSS program, 19.0 version for Windows. Afterwards, the results were thoroughly analyzed and documented, presented in absolute numbers and statistical values using statistical indicators in simple and understandable tables and figures.

Results:

The study results showed that out of the total score of 100, the median value of quality of life of patients with oral cavity cancer, for the physical health component in the definition of quality was M=69.75 ±29.12 and for social-emotional health M=65.11 ± 27.47.

Conclusion:

This could be considered as satisfactory quality of life, in the sphere above half of the rating scale, although both values significantly deviate from the UW-QOL scale norm. Physical and socio-emotional health components are in a strong positive correlation, R ²=0.750, p=0.0001.

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Most cited references 22

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Assessment of quality of life in head and neck cancer patients.

S Hassan, E A Weymuller (2015)

Seventy-five consecutive patients were selected to evaluate a disease-specific quality-of-life questionnaire (UW QOL). The new test was compared to two established equality of life evaluation tools, the Karnofsky scale and the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP). Each test was administered on three separate occasions: (1) several days preoperatively; (2) immediately postoperatively; and (3) 3 months postoperatively. The Karnofsky scale is relatively crude and lacks the ability to measure subtle changes. The SIP is a detailed questionnaire that is quite sensitive to change. However, due to its length, the SIP is inefficient and expensive to administer, and patient non-compliance is often a problem. The three questionnaires were compared according to the following factors: Acceptability: 97% of the patients favored the UW QOL scale compared with the SIP because it was more concise and easier to complete. VALIDITY indicates the ability of the test under investigation to measure what it was intended to measure. Using the SIP as a gold standard, the UW QOL scale demonstrated an average criterion validity of 0.849, whereas the Karnofsky average criterion validity was 0.826. Reliability: Reliability is a measurement of the reproducibility of the data. The UW QOL questionnaire scored > 0.90 on reliability coefficients versus 0.80 for the Karnofsky and 0.87 for the SIP scale. Responsiveness: Responsiveness is the ability of the test to measure clinical change. The UW QOL scale faired better than the Karnofsky and the SIP scale in detecting change. The UW QOL scale is comparable to the Karnofsky and SIP scales when tested for validity and reliability. It was the preferred test format of 97% of patients and provided the greatest responsiveness to clinical change.

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The skin cancer index: clinical responsiveness and predictors of quality of life.

Julie Rhee, Judith R. Logan, A B Nattinger … (2007)

To establish the clinical responsiveness of the Skin Cancer Index (SCI), a new disease-specific quality of life (QOL) instrument, and to assess demographic and clinical factors which impact QOL in patients with nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC). Prospective study of 183 patients with NMSC of the face and neck referred to a tertiary care Mohs surgery clinic. The SCI is a 15 item, validated, disease-specific QOL instrument with 3 distinct subscales, Emotion, Social, and Appearance. Higher scores reflect better QOL. The SCI and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), a general dermatology instrument, was administered at initial consultation and 4 months after surgical treatment. Multivariate analysis was conducted to assess demographic and clinical factors predictive of QOL for both instruments. The SCI total score and all three subscale scores increased with treatment, demonstrating strong evidence of responsiveness over time (P < .001) in contrast with the DLQI (P = .46). Predictors of poorer QOL for the SCI included female sex and cancers located on the lip. Patients who demonstrated greatest improvement in QOL with treatment included those who were younger (<50 yr) and had lower reported household income. Also, first time NMSC patients and those patients who underwent less extensive reconstructions demonstrated greater improvements in QOL. The SCI is a sensitive and responsive QOL instrument for patients with NMSC. Distinct demographic and clinical variables that impact QOL have been demonstrated using this multidimensional, disease-specific instrument.

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A structured review of quality of life instruments for head and neck cancer patients.

J Ringash, A Bezjak (2001)

Quality of life (QOL) is an important treatment outcome for head and neck cancer. Our purpose was to critically review published disease-specific QOL instruments. Medline and Cancerlit were searched from 1966-1999. Eight disease-specific QOL instruments were identified, described, and appraised for development, sensibility, reliability, validity and responsiveness to change. Several of the available instruments have been well-developed and characterized. No one instrument is ideal for all purposes. When selecting a disease-specific QOL instrument for head and neck cancer patients, careful consideration must be given to disease subsite, treatment, timing of assessment, clinical setting, study purpose and research question. Validation of QOL instruments is an ongoing process. Direct comparisons of different instruments may help to establish the most appropriate questionnaire for each situation. Efforts should be focused on the evaluation of existing instruments, rather than the development of new questionnaires.

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Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Mater Sociomed

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Mater Sociomed

Title: Materia Socio-Medica

Publisher: AVICENA, d.o.o., Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina )

ISSN (Print): 1512-7680

ISSN (Electronic): 1986-597X

Publication date (Print): March 2017

Volume: 29

Issue: 1

Pages: 30-34

Affiliations

[1 ]Clinic of Emergency Medicine, Clinical Center University of Sarajevo, Bolnička 25, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

[2 ]Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sarajevo, Bolnička 25, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

[3 ]Public Institution Medical Centre of the Sarajevo Canton, Vrazova 11, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

[4 ]Faculty of Medicine Sarajevo, Čekaluša 90, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Author notes

Corresponding author: Hasiba Erkocevic, MD. Public Institution Medical Centre of the Sarajevo Canton, Vrazova 11, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Article

Publisher ID: MSM-29-30

DOI: 10.5455/msm.2017.29.30-34

PMC ID: 5402360

PubMed ID: 28484351

SO-VID: 41e7b236-c129-4716-8e7d-6d83bb0c928d

License:

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Quality of Life of Patients with Oral Cavity Cancer

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Abstract

Introduction:

Aim of the study:

Materials and methods:

Results:

Conclusion:

Related collections

Asian Journal of Quality of Life (AjQoL)

Most cited references 22

Assessment of quality of life in head and neck cancer patients.

The skin cancer index: clinical responsiveness and predictors of quality of life.

A structured review of quality of life instruments for head and neck cancer patients.

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