Long-Term Quality of Life (5-15 Years Post-Thyroidectomy) of Thyroid Carcinoma Patients in Two Tertiary Care Hospitals

Abstract

Early detection of thyroid cancer has reduced mortality and improved survival of patients. Increased detection has raised the incidence of early stage disease. Some physicians underestimate the suffering of these patients due to the concept of "good cancer." The unmet needs of the survivors still need to be addressed. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the long-term quality of life (QOL) of thyroid cancer survivors. MethodsA cross-sectional telephone survey of 211 thyroid cancer survivors who underwent thyroidectomy performed between 2006 and 2016 in two academic tertiary care hospitals was conducted using a validated Arabic version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer head and neck cancer specific quality of life questionnaire (EROTC QLQ) -H&N43 questionnaire using a scale of 1-4, with 4 being most severe. ResultsOn almost half (48.5%) of patients, thyroidectomy was performed in 2013 or earlier. Patients' perceptions of problems were very low, with a mean score of 1.56 ± 0.7). Worry about the test results (2.37 ± 1.19), future health (2.36 ± 1.22), tingling or numbness in hands or feet (2.32 ± 1.22), pain in the shoulder (2.04 ± 1.18), and dry, itchy skin (2.04 ± 1.18) were the only items that received a mean score of more than 2. No statistically significant differences in patients' problems were observed according to either tumor histopathology or type of thyroidectomy. ConclusionThe overall QOL score for the patients was very good. The persistent problems identified need to be addressed in the long-term follow-up. Survivorship care plans need to be developed incorporating proper interventions.

Assessment of Patients’ Quality-of-Life Post-Thyroidectomy

“…Nevertheless, symptoms like numbness in hands or feet were reported by 38% of our participants, compared to a mean score of 2.32 ± 1.22. However, the items “problems with your teeth" (48%) and “problems with swallowing solid food" (37%) were more perceived symptoms by our participants, yet shoulder pain (2.04 ± 1.18) and skin problems (2.04 ± 1.18) were more appreciated symptoms by Saudi participants from the Riyadh area [ 7 ].…”

“…In fact, the majority of patients report higher levels of self-esteem and body image post-thyroidectomy, as the removal of a diseased or abnormal thyroid gland can alleviate anxiety and distress associated with the underlying condition. However, additional research is needed to explore the specific factors contributing to these positive psychological outcomes and to identify potential interventions for those experiencing psychological distress following thyroidectomy [ 7 , 8 ].…”

“…Certain individuals may require lifelong assistance in adjusting to thyroid hormone replacement therapy following a thyroidectomy [ 7 ]. Despite an increasing body of evidence in the medical literature showing these patients' unmet needs [ 7 , 10 ], physicians still frequently underestimate the difficulties these patients encounter [ 11 ]. Moreover, only a limited number of studies [ 12 , 13 ] have investigated the long-term impact on quality of life (QOL).…”

Health-Related Quality of Life After Thyroid Cancer Surgery: A Single-Center, Cross-Sectional Study in Southern Vietnam

“…Regarding emotional functioning, patients have fears or concerns about their future health and they feel that they may often be angry, anxious, and fearful [ 10 ]. Performing screening, counseling, and treatment of depression for patients with thyroid cancer is being directed by medical professionals [ 3 ].…”

“…In the same study by Wang et al, Li et al, and Nickel et al, the specific type of surgery, total thyroidectomy, was also one of the predictors of a reduction in the QoL score [ 2 , 7 , 17 ]. However, a study done in Saudi Arabia reported that the surgical method did not affect the QoL outcome of patients with thyroid cancer 5-15 years after surgery [ 10 ]. The results are different.…”