Impact of Metronomic Chemotherapy on Quality of Life in Recurrent, Residual and Metastatic Head & Neck Cancers

Abstract

Background: Quality of life is significantly affected in both radically treated as well as palliative care patients of Head & Neck cancers. Both Surgery as well as Radiation with concurrent chemotherapy affect quality of life with long lasting disabilities. Hence the present study was done to evaluate the role of Metronomic Chemotherapy on Quality of life in Residual, Recurrent and Metastatic Head & Neck cancers. Methods: All patients who met the inclusion criteria in our study were treated with Oral Metronomic Chemotherapy with Methotrexate and Capecitabine. Quality of Life assessment was done at month 0, month 3 and month 6. Results: The predominant problematic domains identified by QOL H&N-35 scale were pain, difficulty in swallowing, dry mouth, mouth opening, sticky saliva, social eating, social contact and less sexuality. There is a significant improvement in QOL of most of the survivors in the present study at the end of 6 months. But there was no significance as far as illness, senses, coughing, feeding tube and weight gain are concerned Conclusion: Oral Metronomic Chemotherapy with Methotrexate and Capecitabine significantly improves the Quality of life in patients with Residual, Recurrent and Metastatic Head & Neck cancers.

Oral Metronomic Chemotherapy in Advanced and Metastatic Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Need of the Hour

“…Lastly, one important factor that tips the balance toward the OMCT is the quality of life (QOL) and associated adverse effects. It has been noted that the QOL in patients receiving OMCT in terms of functional scale like pain, difficulty in swallowing, dry mouth, mouth opening, sticky saliva, social eating, and social contact is significantly better from the baseline values at an interval between 3 and 6 months [17]. Also, the grade 3 or higher adverse events were less commonly noted in OMCT arm (19%) as compared to chemotherapy arm (30%).…”