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Functional Outcomes and Quality of Life After Chemoradiotherapy: Baseline and 3 and 6 Months Post-Treatment

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Abstract

Concomitant chemoradiotherapy provides organ preservation for those patients with head and neck cancer. We report the results of a prospective study that examined functional outcomes and quality of life (QOL) after chemoradiotherapy over the first 6 months post-treatment (tx). Twenty-nine patients with head and neck cancer were treated with chemoradiotherapy. All were seen baseline and 3 and 6 months post-tx. Assessments included the performance status scale (PSS), Karnofsky performance status scale, tongue strength, jaw opening, and saliva weight. QOL was patient-rated using the eating assessment tool (EAT-10), MD Anderson dysphagia inventory, speech handicap index (SHI), and the EORTC H&N35 scale. Repeated-measures ANOVAs were used, with significance at p < 0.05. PSS scores were significantly different across time points. Tongue strength, jaw range of motion (ROM), and saliva weight were significantly lower at 3 and 6 months than at baseline. QOL was significantly worse after tx, although it improved by 6 months as rated with the EAT-10 and the SHI scores were significantly worse at 3 and 6 months. EORTC domains of swallowing, senses, speech, dry mouth, and sticky saliva were significantly worse at 3 and 6 months. Concomitant chemoradiotherapy for treatment of head and neck tumors can result in impaired performance outcomes and QOL over the first 6 months post-tx. However, performance status, tongue strength, jaw ROM, and eating QOL were only mildly impaired by 6 months post-tx. Saliva production and speech QOL remained significantly impaired at 6 months post-treatment. Current studies are examining outcomes at 12 and 24 months post-treatment to better predict outcomes over time in this population.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Thyroid Head and Neck Cancer Foundation, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, 10 Union Square East, Suite 5B, New York, NY, 10003, USA

    C. L. Lazarus, H. Husaini, M. Urken & A. Jacobson

  2. Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, New York, NY, 10003, USA

    C. L. Lazarus, M. Urken, A. Jacobson, M. Persky & T. Tran

  3. Department of Otolaryngology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA

    C. L. Lazarus, M. Urken, A. Jacobson, M. Persky & T. Tran

  4. Department of Radiation Oncology, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, New York, NY, 10003, USA

    K. Hu, C. Concert & L. Harrison

  5. Department of Medical Oncology, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, New York, NY, 10003, USA

    B. Culliney, Z. Li & D. Palacios

  6. Cancer Center, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, New York, NY, 10003, USA

    R. Metcalfe-Klaw, M. Kumar & B. Bennett

  7. Department of Radiation Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA

    K. Hu & L. Harrison

  8. Department of Medical Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA

    B. Culliney & Z. Li

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  1. C. L. Lazarus
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Correspondence to C. L. Lazarus.

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Lazarus, C.L., Husaini, H., Hu, K. et al. Functional Outcomes and Quality of Life After Chemoradiotherapy: Baseline and 3 and 6 Months Post-Treatment. Dysphagia 29, 365–375 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-014-9519-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-014-9519-8

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