Quality of life after free flap reconstruction for the cancer of the head and neck: Comparison between five-year survivors and non-survivors.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Free flap surgery due to the cancer of the head and neck includes high risk of postoperative complications and a five-year mortality up to 50%. We aimed to study the relation between the quality of life (QoL) reported two years after the operation and the mortality during a next three-year follow-up. We aimed to study the relation between the quality of life (QoL) reported two years after the operation and the mortality during a next three-year follow-up.

METHODS:

The QoL of 53 patients was assessed using RAND-36, UW-QOL, EORTC-C30 and H&N-35 tools two years after the operation. The assessed QoL was compared between the five-year survivors and the non-survivors.

RESULTS:

A total of 14 (26.4%) patients died during the follow-up. The RAND-36 scores of the deceased were lower in domains "general health", "energy", "emotional role functioning" and "emotional well-being". In UW-QOL tool, the domains "swallowing" and "mood", as well as experienced QoL were lower in the non-survivors. In EORTC QLQ assessment the non-survivors reported lower QoL in domains "global health status", "physical functioning", "role functioning", "swallowing", and "felt ill".

CONCLUSION:

Based on our results, poor long-term survival is related to poor QoL reported two years after surgery. The difference was found in general domains of QoL tools indicating that poor QoL is a surrogate of chronic health problems having an impact on the long-term survival.

• Authors: Krisztina Molnár, Siiri Hietanen, Janne Liisanantti, Petri Koivunen, Sanna Lahtinen
• Journal: Oral oncology (Oral Oncol) Vol. 128 Pg. 105855 (05 2022) ISSN: 1879-0593 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 35405465 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Free Tissue Flaps (surgery)
• Head and Neck Neoplasms (surgery)
• Humans
• Quality of Life
• Surveys and Questionnaires
• Survivors