Quality of Life after Surgical Treatment of Cancer of the Larynx

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to assess the quality of life of patients after surgical treatment for cancer of the larynx. Three groups of patients were identified according to surgical treatment: total laryngectomy, 111 patients; near-total laryngectomy, 38 patients; and partial laryngectomy, 23 patients. The impact of successful surgical treatment on their life roles was analyzed in terms of work, activities, familial and spousal relationships, sexuality, and psychologic features such as stress and anxiety. Two questionnaires were used; the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale (PAIS) and the Mayo Clinic Postlaryngectomy Questionnaire. With the PAIS questionnaire, no difference was found in role adjustment between the total laryngectomy and near-total laryngectomy groups, with one exception. In the work domain, the total laryngectomy patients who were working had better adjustment than the near-total laryngectomy patients. The overall adjustment of both groups was less favorable than that of a comparison group of patients with nonlaryngeal cancer. The patients who had the classic conservation operations adjusted in all domains more favorably than the patients with permanent tracheostomas. The partial operation patients adjusted better than the nonlaryngeal cancer patients. We conclude that the stoma has a negative impact on adjustment postoperatively and that it may have a more serious impact on life adjustment than voice alteration. Further investigation and standardization of measurement tools are needed.

Psychosocial adjustment in patients surgically treated for laryngeal cancer

“…1,5,6 The need for a standardized quality of life assessment tool is necessary in order to compare results between different institutions and studies. 7,8 Because multidimensionality and OtolaryngologyHead and Neck Surgery Volume 129 Number 1 FERRER et al 95 subjectivity are the 2 main characteristics of quality of life, measurement tools should cover a broad range of content, including physical, emotional, and social well-being. In our study, a permanent stoma and loss of speech are not the critical factors that determine patients' quality of life after surgery for laryngeal cancer.…”

“…This is consistent with the guidelines reported in the literature. 8 Only 15% of patients undergoing radical surgery and 50% of those undergoing a supraglottic laryngectomy went back to work after surgery. Among the patients who underwent partial vertical surgery, 85.7% went back to work.…”

Health-related quality of life in laryngeal cancer patients

“…Indeed, in many studies performed, speech has been emphasized as the most influential factor affecting quality of life. [13,15,18,22,23] An unfavorable trend was seen in many quality of life variables of the patients during the first months after chemoradiotherapy, while at subsequent months, especially after 2nd month, improvements in these variables were observed. Graeff et al [24] observed marked improvement in the post-treatment quality of life of laryngeal cancer patients followed up for one year after radiotherapy, but they could not detect marked improvement in complaints of thick saliva, sensory problems and dry mouth at 12th month.…”

Laringectomia supracricóide (chep) para câncer glótico

“…Além do mais, estudos demonstraram que um dos fatores de maior impacto na sobrevida era a manutenção da traqueostomia 10 .…”