Health-related quality of life in long-term survivors after high-dose chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery in esophageal cancer.

Curative treatment of esophageal cancer with definitive or preoperative high-dose chemoradiotherapy inflicts a major strain on the patients with potentially severe physical, emotional, and social consequences. The aim of this study was to assess various aspects of quality of life and fatigue in long-term survivors following such a treatment. Patients undergoing a potentially curative treatment between 1996 and 2007, and still alive (n= 41) completed quality of life questionnaires of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer core questionnaire (QLQ-C30) and esophageal cancer module (QLQ-OES18). Twenty patients were treated by surgery alone, and 21 patients were scheduled for high-dose chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery. Five of those patients did not undergo planned surgery. Preoperative chemoradiotherapy consisted of three courses of chemotherapy, cisplatin 100 mg/m(2) and 5-fluorouracil 5000 mg/m(2) in each course and concomitant radiotherapy of a median dose 66 Gy. Quality of life in esophageal cancer patients receiving high-dose chemoradiotherapy was compared with that for esophageal cancer patients who received only surgery, head and neck cancer patients, laryngectomized patients, and a random sample of the general Norwegian population. Esophageal cancer patients treated by high-dose chemoradiotherapy had significantly worse global quality of life as reflected by almost all functional scales and higher fatigue compared with esophageal cancer patients who received surgery alone, head and neck cancer patients, and the general Norwegian population. There were no significant differences in quality of life between the esophageal cancer patients receiving high-dose chemoradiotherapy and the laryngectomy patients. Further, the esophageal cancer patients receiving high-dose chemoradiotherapy had higher intensity of other symptoms like general pain, insomnia, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation compared with the esophageal cancer patients who received surgery alone, head and neck cancer patients, and the general Norwegian population. High-dose chemoradiotherapy with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil had a considerable negative long-term effect on global quality of life in patients with resectable esophageal cancer. Fatigue was a prominent long-lasting symptom in these patients.

Choice of psychological coping in laryngectomized, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients versus multiple sclerosis patients.

To be treated for cancer must be a frightening experience. Yet quality of life (QoL) of successfully treated cancer patients seems to be relatively similar in comparison with QoL of a general population, with psychological coping partly responsible for this finding. When measuring choice of coping, the nature of coping score levels constituting appropriate scores, and whether score levels rely on the context of the disease has not been settled. We have studied the COPE coping responses as related to disease in successfully treated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patient groups (general and laryngectomized), as well as compared to multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The COPE response patterns have also been compared to the Beck depression inventory (BDI) scores. Age and gender of patients were not directly associated with choice of coping. Within the problem-focused coping indexes, the coping index "active coping" was reported to be most utilized among HNSCC patients, whereas "coping by suppression" and "coping by social support" were most utilized among MS patients. Emotional-focused coping was most prevalent among HNSCC patients and lowest among the MS patients. Level of avoidance coping was similar between the groups. The coping of the general HNSCC patients differed most from the MS patients. An association was shown between increased coping efforts and lowered mood. In particular, avoidance coping was associated with lowered mood. These associations were stronger among the MS patients than HNSCC patients. Drinking to cope was most prevalent among the laryngectomized group, and was correlated with BDI scores in all groups. Furthermore, adequate coping seems to be to limit avoidance coping and promote coping by acceptance. The response pattern of the COPE inventory seems to be valid among HNSCC and MS patients.

Health-related quality of life scores in long-term head and neck cancer survivors predict subsequent survival: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the survival prediction of long-term health-related quality of life in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. DESIGN: Patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma diagnosed in the period between July 1992 and October 2001, who had been disease free for a minimum of 1 year following therapy, responded to structured interviews including several validated questionnaires in the period from October 2002 to March 2004. The study ended in June 2009 with a mean observation time of 75 ± 4 months among the survivors. Twenty-four deaths were observed. SETTING: University hospital, referral centre of the Western Norway. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and thirty-nine cognitive functioning patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Overall survival as of June 2009. This was correlated with various clinical factors and the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire, the Eysenck Personality Inventory and the Coping inventory completed between October 2001 and March 2004. RESULTS: A general symptom sum score was significantly predictive of survival directly and after sequential adjustment for self-reported levels of neuroticism, avoidance focused coping, coping by suppression of competing activity, alcohol consumption, smoking status and heart/lung disease, as well as gender, age, time between diagnosis and inclusion, tumour node metastasis (TNM) stage and tumour site. Similar results were found for the health-related quality of life indices 'fatigue', 'dyspnoea' and 'sleep disturbance'. A dichotomised variable based on the general symptom sum score was calculated, and a high risk group, as to mortality, including less than a quintile of the total patient population was established. A hazard ratio of 5.15 was found for the dichotomised general symptom sum score. CONCLUSION: We have shown a unique and independent survival prediction from long-term EORTC QLQ-C30 scores in successfully treated and cognitive functioning head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients.

The personality and quality of life in HNSCC patients following treatment.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between self-reported quality of life (QoL) and personality in successfully treated primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients. We determined QoL using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of life Questionnaire (EORTC-QLQ) C30/H and N35, and personality by the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI). All patients younger than 80 years who had been diagnosed with HNSCC in Western Norway in the period from 1992 to 1997, and who had survived until 1999, were sampled. 96 patients (a 90% response rate) were included. Questionnaires were also mailed to all Norwegian laryngectomised patients; 104 patients returned the questionnaires (a 50% response rate). The neuroticism scores were test re-test reliable as determined by the neuroticism scores measured at the primary HNSCC diagnosis for a sub-sample (N=22) of the included patients. High neuroticism was associated with a low QoL in both patient samples. The neuroticism score was associated with the QLQ-C30 scales (common variance: 17-25%) and all QoL scores in the laryngectomised group (common variance: 11-25%), and the H and N35 symptom scores in the laryngectomised sample. The associations could still be shown when adjustments were made for gender, age, marital status, educational level, number of children and level of treatment. Extraversion was associated with general QoL, physical and emotional scores in the HNSCC patient sample. Radiation therapy in the HNSCC sample was associated with the H and N35 symptom scores, but different ones to those associated with neuroticism. In conclusion, high neuroticism, but not extraversion, is associated with a lowered QoL.

The amount of treatment versus quality of life in patients formerly treated for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between the self-reported quality of life (QoL) versus the initial TNM stage and amount of primary and recurrent tumor therapy given in a population of formerly treated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients. We determined QoL by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer-Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC-QLQ) C30/H&N35 by structured interview. One hundred and twenty-two patients less than 80 years old, who had been diagnosed with HNSCC in western Norway in the period from 1992 to1997, and who had survived until 2000, were identified. Of these patients, 106 were eligible to be included. Ninety-six of these patients agreed to be interviewed. For TNM stage as well as the type of therapy given (local surgery, neck dissection or radiation therapy), T stage predicted the general QoL scores. Both increased TNM stage and all given tumor therapy seemingly caused lower H&N symptom QoL scores. Of the various tumor treatments employed, neck radiation therapy and neck dissection were indicated to be the most closely associated with the H&N QoL scores. Having neck dissection performed seemingly caused impairment beyond what was explained by the initial TNM stage. In conclusion, tumor therapy to HNSCC should not be restricted due to general QoL considerations. Further study of how and when to perform neck treatment is suggested in order to avoid unnecessary reduced H&N QoL.

Psychological coping style versus disease extent, tumour treatment and quality of life in successfully treated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients.

OBJECTIVES: To study self-reported coping style by the COPE questionnaire and the association to tumour node distant metastasis (TNM) stage, received treatment and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a population of successfully treated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients. DESIGN: Disease free HNSCC patients were interviewed during a regular outpatient visit to the Department. SETTING: All patients <80 years who had been diagnosed with HNSCC, in Western Norway, in the period from 1992 to 1997 and who were disease free in the year 2000 were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The HNSCC patients were studied by the European organization for research and treatment of cancer quality of life (QoL) questionnaire and by the COPE questionnaire from which coping styles profiles were extracted. Clinical and socio-demographic variables were also gathered. RESULTS: Level of problem focused coping style was associated with the T stage and whether or not the patient was given neck radiotherapy. An avoidance-focused coping style was generally associated with lowered HRQoL. Employment of emotional focused coping was associated with low HRQoL among the patients treated with surgery only, and associated with increased HRQoL among patients treated with radiation therapy only. The associations between HRQoL and coping style levels were stronger for HRQoL indexes reflecting cognitive/emotional function than for HRQoL indexes reflecting physical function. CONCLUSIONS: In former HNSCC patients, level of problem focused coping style was associated with the T stage and if given neck radiotherapy. Level of avoidance coping was inversely associated with the HRQoL, and level of emotional coping was associated with HRQoL in a complex manner.

Relation between mood, social support and the quality of life in patients with laryngectomies.

Two hundred laryngectomized members of the Norwegian Society of Laryngectomies (NSL), a subsidiary of the Norwegian Cancer Society, were invited to answer the EORTC QLQ-C30 (version 3.0) and QLQ-H&N35 QOL questionnaires to assess their quality of life (QOL). The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores, their levels of social support and their marital and educational statuses were also determined. In addition, the activity levels of each patient within the NSL were assessed. The questionnaires were returned anonymously by 104 patients. The results of this sample were compared with the responses to the EORTC QLQ C30/H&N35 by all of the survivors of treatment for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in western Norway between 1992 and 1997. This sample included 96 of 106 eligible patients. The QLQ-C30 symptom scores include, e.g., dyspnea, smell and taste. However, neither the QLQ-C30 functional scores nor the disease-specific scores of the people with laryngectomies differed from the general HNSCC-treated population. The level of social support by family, friends and neighbors was not associated with the QOL, whereas high BDI scores were associated with reduced QOL by most measured indexes. Furthermore, a positive association was determined between the level of activity within the NSL and QOL. This relation was to some extent secondary to differential BDI scores. In conclusion, the QOL of people with laryngectomies is relatively similar to a general population of patients treated because of HNSCC, is related to the activity level within a patient interest organization and is associated with a lower mood level.