This article reviews recent literature on the physical and psychosocial correlates of head and neck cancer, with a focus on quality-of-life issues, rehabilitation outcomes, and changes in the literature from the previous decade. These studies have shown that head and neck cancer has an enormous impact on the quality of life of patients. The most important physical symptoms are speech problems, dry mouth and throat, and swallowing problems. Pain is also frequently reported. Disturbances in psychosocial functioning and psychological distress are reported by a considerable number of patients; worry, anxiety, mood disorder, fatigue, and depression are the main symptoms. Cancer of the head and neck has a negative effect on social, recreational, and sexual functioning. Despite a growing number of longitudinal studies, little is known about the rehabilitation outcomes over a longer period of time. Future research is necessary to form a consensus about the further development and use of specific instruments to study patients with cancer of the head and neck, to conduct more prospective studies, and to develop programs that are aimed at maximizing rehabilitation outcomes and evaluate these programs with randomized designs.
Investigated late psychosocial sequelae in 133 parents of children who survived cancer, using questionnaires developed to measure the specific impact of the disease. Childhood cancer had distinct and persistent late psychosocial effects on parents of survivors. Uncertainty and loneliness were the most reported problems. Demographic and situational characteristics such as being a mother, low SES, no religious affiliation, chronic disease in a family member other than the child surviving cancer, and concurrent stresses increased the risk of reporting late problems. Treatment itself had little or no effect on reported problems. However, when treatment led to long-term sequelae in the child, a significant and specific effect on parental problems was observed. No decline of problems over time was found, which has implications for patient care.
This study indicates that T1 larynx patients report many physical complaints even though several years had elapsed since treatment. Also, laryngectomy patients may need psychosocial guidance for a longer posttreatment period and that health care personnel must involve the partner as much as possible in all communications. Commando procedure patients in particular feel hindered by their disfigurement and its consequences. Future research with respect to validation of the specific head and neck modules is needed.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.