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Quality of Life in Head and Neck Cancer Patients

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Head and Neck Cancer
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Abstract

While improving the survival outcomes of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients remains the primary goal of advances in therapy, the importance of the quality of life (QOL) impact of both tumor and the treatment to patients cannot be overemphasized. In cancer generally, baseline QOL is among the strongest available prognostic factors. Broadly speaking, QOL is a measure of an individual’s overall personal well-being. QOL instruments measure a subjective concept, but their measurement properties are based on sound scientific principles. Evidence of reliability, validity, and responsiveness should be required for instruments chosen for use in clinical research. Poor compliance with planned questionnaires (missing data) can threaten both internal and external validity (generalizability); study design should include strategies to maximize compliance. QOL instruments may be general (applicable to the general population), disease-specific, symptom-specific, or treatment-specific. Disease site-specific QOL instruments are a subset of cancer-specific instruments designed for a specific cancer site, such as HNC, that address concerns, such as xerostomia, pain, dysphagia, and speech disruption. A number of HNC cancer-specific instruments are described. Current evidence remains somewhat limited as the results of ongoing trials are anticipated. Future questions include the potential value of using QOL questionnaires in routine clinical care, the best strategies for translating QOL knowledge to clinicians, and the role of computer-adaptive administration of patient reported outcome measures.

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Ringash, J. (2011). Quality of Life in Head and Neck Cancer Patients. In: Bernier, J. (eds) Head and Neck Cancer. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9464-6_49

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