Quality of life in Iranian patients with head-and-neck cancer

The goal of treating cancer patients is to cure the patients and improve their quality of life (QoL) during their illness. The aim of this research was to assess the QoL in Iranian patients with head-and-neck cancer by European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Head and Neck 35 (EORTC QLQ-H&N35) and University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire (UW-QoL).

In this cross-sectional study, Iranian variation of EORTC QLQ-H&N35 and UW-QoL questionnaires was administered to 210 patients with head-and-neck cancer. Patients who visited the Department of Oncology at Omid Hospital in Isfahan, Shafa Hospital in Kerman, and Emam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran were selected. Kruskal–Wallis test, general linear model multivariate of variance, multiple regression models, and SPSS version 21 were used for statistical analysis.

In the present research work, 210 patients with cancer in head and neck were under investigation, such that 128 patients (61%) were male and 82 patients (39%) were female. Only the patients with laryngeal cancer scored worse for dyspnea according to the scores from UW-QoL questionnaires. There were statistically significant differences for pain, swallowing, social eating, social contact, speech, taste/smell, and trismus based on the QLQ-H&N35. Lower QoL was observed in patients with advanced (Stage III + IV) tumors and treated with radiotherapy plus surgical method.

The study showed that quality of life differs due to location of tumor, stage of cancer, and treatment type.