A study on the quality of life of laryngeal cancer patients

Different therapeutic options (surgery, radiation) may have some impact on certain dimensions of their quality of life. Aim: The aim of this paper was to investigate the impact of treatment options on the quality of life of patients with laryngeal cancer, comparing two groups of patients after total laryngectomy or other treatment. . Material-Methods: The population of this study included 128 previously hospitalized patients in large public urban hospitals of Athens and Thessaloniki. Sixty five patients (50,8%) had total laryngectomy (group A) and 63 patients (49,2%) partial laryngectomy, or other treatment (radiation, chemotherapy) maintaining voice capacity. Data was collected using a demographic and clinical traits questionnaire and the Quality Of Life Questionnaire (EORTC, QLQ-C30). Statistical analysis used SPSS 15.0 for chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Group comparison revealed that patients from group A scored significantly higher in all scales of a) functionality (p<0,05), b) symptoms (p<0,05) and c) financial difficulties (p<0,05) compared to group B. Moreover, patients from group B reported better overall quality of life compared to group A (p=0,001). Conclusions: Different treatment options and their effect on specific dimensions of life, such as alterations of body image and voice loss, have a deep impact on self reported quality of life for laryngeal cancer patients. Improving their quality of life is a great challenge for health professionals.

Keywords: Quality of life, laryngeal cancer, laryngectomy