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Health‐related quality of life among tonsillar carcinoma patients in Sweden in relation to treatment and comparison with quality of life among the population
Author(s) -
Adnan Ali,
Högmo Anders,
Sjödin Helena,
GebreMedhin Maria,
Laurell Göran,
Reizenstein Johan,
Farnebo Lovisa,
Norberg Lena S.,
Notstam Isak,
Holmberg Erik,
Cange Hedda H.,
Hammerlid Eva
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
head and neck
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.012
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1097-0347
pISSN - 1043-3074
DOI - 10.1002/hed.26064
Subject(s) - medicine , quality of life (healthcare) , swallowing , population , stage (stratigraphy) , health related quality of life , cross sectional study , physical therapy , surgery , disease , pathology , environmental health , biology , paleontology , nursing
Background The health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) of tonsillar carcinoma survivors was explored to investigate any HRQOL differences associated with tumor stage and treatment. The survivors' HRQOL was also compared to reference scores from the population. Methods In this exploratory cross‐sectional study patients were invited 15 months after their diagnosis and asked to answer two quality of life questionnaires (EORTC QLQ‐ C30, EORTC QLQ‐ HN35), 405 participated. Results HRQOL was associated with gender, with males scoring better than females on a few scales. Patients' HRQOL was more associated with treatment than tumor stage. Patients' HRQOL was worse than that in an age‐ and sex‐matched reference group from the normal population, the largest differences were found for problems with dry mouth followed by problems with sticky saliva, senses, swallowing and appetite loss. Conclusions The tonsillar carcinoma patients had a worse HRQOL compared to the general population one year after treatment.