Literature Review of Oropahyngeal Cancer Patients Assessed with EORTC QLQ-30 EORTC HN-35#

Abstract

Background: Oropharyngeal cancer is the most common type of head and neck cancers, with a 5-years survival of 64.7%. In the last 40 years risk factors and etiology changed, from the incidence associated mostly with tobacco and alcohol to HPV infection in 70% of the cases. Treatments that are standard of care for OPSCC include chemotherapy, radiotherapy or combination of surgery and radiotherapy have a high chronic treatment-related toxicity and functional loss. These therapies have significant impact on the quality of life (QOL) of survivors of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). Objectives: The objective of this study is to review literature on 1-year evolution of quality of life of patients treated for OPSCC with standard of care. Methods: A comprehensive search of the literature of treated OPSCC patients assessed with EORTC QLQ-30 EORTC H&N-35 at pre-treatment 12-month post treatment. Results: The first study showed that standard of care treatment produces chronic side effects, such as xerostomia, poor oral and dental health, dysphagia, feeding tube dependency in, and other fibrotic changes likely caused by radiotherapy or combination of surgery and radiotherapy. Conclusions: Standard of care treatment produces chronic side effects, such as xerostomia, poor oral and dental health, dysphagia, feeding tube dependency in, and other fibrotic changes.