Correlation between coping strategies and subjective assessment of the voice-related quality of life of patients after resection of T1 and T2 laryngeal tumours

Abstract

When coming to terms with a diagnosis of laryngeal cancer, patients find different ways of coping with their illness. These may or may not be related to communication. Vocal aspects of quality of life are particularly important with cancer of the larynx. The correlation between coping and subjective assessment of the voice-related quality of life was assessed in a cross-sectional study of patients after resection of T1 and T2 laryngeal tumours. As part of follow-up care, 55 male cancer patients with partial laryngectomy were asked about their voice-related quality of life and their coping strategies. The Voice-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire (V-RQOL) and the Trier Coping Scales (TCS) were used as survey instruments. The voice-related quality of life of the patients was assessed on average as medium to good. The coping strategy most frequently chosen by patients was 'threat prevention', followed by 'search for social integration', 'rumination', 'search for information and experience exchange' and 'search for support in religion'. Correlations between coping strategy and the voice-related quality of life were weak to moderate and somewhat inconsistent in this patient population. There was no consistent or strong correlation between voice-related quality of life and coping strategies in male patients with partial laryngectomy, so that individual differences appeared to be more important in coping with illness than primarily voice-related factors such as the voice-related quality of life.

Quality of life during the first year after partial laryngectomy: Longitudinal study

“…Patients' expectations play a major role in the assessment of QOL after surgery . It has already been discussed in other studies that this is also true for patients who undergo a partial laryngectomy but future research is needed to clarify the correlation between preoperative expectations and QOL after partial laryngectomies. The presumed small treatment procedure and, in most of the cases, the fact that patients are at an early stage of their cancer disease could lead to overoptimistic expectations.…”

Qualidade de vida em voz na doença pulmonar crônica

“…Still, applying of it helps in understanding the real impact on quality of life that the disease causes in personal, social and professional relationships 14 . Studies are found in the literature using V-RQOL protocol in Parkinson's disease, dysphonia abducting 15 , spasmodic dysphonia 16 in teachers 14,17, choristers 18 , elderly 19,20 and patients after resection of laryngeal tumors T1 and T2 21 . However, there are no studies that used the protocol in subjects with a medical diagnosis of CPD.…”

Monitoring and Evaluation of Late Functional Outcome in Post-treatment Follow-Up in Clinical Routine Setting

“…Superior objective voice outcomes have been reported for patients undergoing a partial laryngectomy when compared to total laryngectomy (24). Conversely, patients self-report higher satisfaction with their voice following laryngectomy than those having a partial laryngectomy (25, 26). Therapy of the oral cavity and pharynx also can lead to problems in voice, speech, and articulation in short and long term follow-up (27).…”