Analysis of quality of life in patients with locally advanced oral and oropharyngeal cancers

Abstract

Objective: to study the quality of life in patients who underwent surgical intervention on cancerous tumors of the mucous membrane of the oral cavity and oropharynx.Material and methods. An analysis of the quality of life was performed in 31 patients with tumors of the mucous membrane of the oral cavity and oropharynx using the EORTC QLQ-30 and EORTC QLQ-H & N35 questionnaires.Results. The study of the quality of life using the EORTC QLQ-30 questionnaire in dynamics revealed improved general health status, emotional functioning, cognitive function, lower pain level, decreased frequency of insomnia (p> 0.05). The assessment of clinical meaning and magnitude according to K. Cocks et al. showed that these factors were characterized by a low level of clinical meaning and magnitude of changes in the studied parameters for all scales, except for the insomnia scale corresponding to an average level of clinical meaning and magnitude. At the same time, a statistically significant change score in the fatigue scales (p <0.01) corresponded to a low level of clinical meaning and magnitude, and low appetite (p < 0.05) should be r egarded as irrelevant. The survey of the patients using the EORTC QLQ — H & N35 questionnaire showed deterioration in some functions associated with the consequences of anticancer treatment, including impaired taste and odor perception (p < 0.01), speech disorders (p < 0.05), difficulties related to eating in public places (p < 0.01), difficulties in social contacts (p < 0.05), viscous saliva (p <0.05).Conclusion. The study has revealed positive changes in the quality of life of patients with oral and oropharyngeal cancers in the period from 4 to 6 months after the end of treatment, which indicates a gradual return to the initial level of vital activity and the need for regular monitoring of the quality of life of the patients in the long follow-up.