Analysis of quality of life (QOL) has revealed that preservation of swallowing, speech, and breathing functions has a direct impact on QOL and that these functions are important patient-reported outcomes. The purposes of this study were to adapt and culturally validate the M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI) to the Brazilian Portuguese language and to evaluate QOL related to dysphagia in patients treated for head and neck cancer. This was a cross-sectional study that included 72 adult patients with a mean age of 63 years who were treated for head and neck cancer. Construct validity and reliability analyses were performed through the comparison of the MDADI with three other health-related QOL questionnaires administered at the time of enrollment and MDADI application 2 weeks thereafter, respectively. Reliability was established by assuring both internal consistency (Cronbach's α) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC). Test-retest reliability for the total score in the MDADI had an ICC greater than 0.795 (p < 0.001). The MDADI had significant statistical correlations with the other questionnaires. Patients treated for head and neck cancer had a mean total score of 83 on the MDADI, which is indicative of minimal limitation in overall QOL. In conclusion, the present study validates the adaptation of the MDADI to the Brazilian Portuguese language and provides another tool to evaluate the impact of dysphagia on the QOL of head and neck cancer patients.

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Larynx preservation results in changes of swallowing, ranging in their majority from discrete to moderate. Some patients, however, developed severe dysphagia, and oral feeding was not possible.

Introduction This study aims to assess the impact of paediatric benign and malignant solid tumours and its treatment on the health‐related quality of life of children and adolescents who were followed up in a Reference Center in Pediatric Oncology in Rio de Janeiro. Methods It is a prospective cohort study. Quality of life assessment was performed using the PedsQL™ 4.0 Generic Core Scales and PedsQL™ 3.0 Cancer Module protocols three times: during hospital admission (T1), 6 months after admission (T2) and 1 year after admission (T3). Results We evaluated 132 patients, 59 men and 73 women, aged 2–17 years. In PedsQL™4.0, the Emotional Functioning scale was the one with the worst scores, while the scores on the Social Functioning scale was the best. In PedsQL™ 3.0, the worst domains were Procedural Anxiety and Worry. Patients with malignant bone tumours had the worst health‐related quality of life. The group who received only surgery had better results. Total scores of PedsQL™4.0 and PedsQL™ 3.0 improved between T1 and T3. Conclusion Children and adolescents with malignant and benign neoplasms undergo changes in quality of life as a result of the disease and treatment, but an improvement has been observed over time.