[Feasibility of University of Washington-Quality of Life questionnaire for follow up of laryngeal cancer in China].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility of University of Washington Quality of Life (UW-QOL) questionnaire in laryngeal cancer patients treated by total or partial laryngectomy and their prognostic factors in China. METHODS: With UW-QOL questionnaire, a survey was conducted in patients treated by partial (81, Group A) or total (37, Group B) laryngectomy for laryngeal cancer. RESULTS: The composite QOL scores of group A (692.34 +/- 127.94) were higher than those of group B (636.35 +/- 139.97), with a difference statistically significant (P < 0.05). Group A (74.32 +/- 23.82; 80.86 +/- 20.26) was better than group B (40.27 +/- 25.76; 69.59 +/- 27.09) in speech and appearance (P < 0.001; P < 0.05); but group B (92.57 +/- 13.00) was superior to group A (83.02 +/- 20.47) in pain (P < 0.01). Six factors including stage, operative, modality, complication, postoperative radiotherapy or chemotherapy, with whom to live, chronic disease before or after operation were related to postlaryngectomy QOL. CONCLUSION: Partial laryngectomy is superior to total laryngectomy in speech, appearance and overall QOL. UW-QOL questionnaire is suitable for QOL research in laryngeal cancer in China.