Abstract
Objective:To evaluate the quality of life (QoL) amongst Thai nasopharyngeal cancer patients (NCP) and identify associated factors with QoL. Methods:This study was based on secondary data from a cross-sectional study that aimed to develop the Thai version of functional assessment of cancer therapy with nasopharyngeal cancer subscale demographic data, clinical information of participants, and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy with Nasopharyngeal cancer subscale (FACT-NP) were utilized. Data were analyzed using Student’s t-test, rank-sum test, variance analysis, and the Kruskal-Wallis test. Multiple linear regression with the stepwise model was used to determine multiple variable analysis. Statistical significance was defined at p-value < 0.05. Results:Two hundred and thirty NCP were included in the study with a mean age of 50.3±12.4 years. According to our findings, 68.3% were male, 81.7% were married or living with a partner, and 86.1% were Buddhism had the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status between 0-2 (95.2 %). The employment status, education level, economic status, ECOG, stage , and disease status significantly influenced patients’ QoL. Patients who had active treatment and received prophylactic percutaneous gastrostomy were also impacted by the FACT-NP score. In the multivariate analysis, employment status, ECOG, and disease status were shown to be significant factors that were associated with their QOL in the final model. Conclusion:Employment status was a socioeconomic factor that led to positive QOL amongst NCP.
Highlights
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is less common in European countries and North America
This study was based on secondary data from a cross-sectional study that aimed to develop the Thai version of functional assessment of cancer therapy with nasopharyngeal cancer subscale demographic data, clinical information of participants, and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy with Nasopharyngeal cancer subscale (FACT-NP) were utilized
Study design and setting This study was based on secondary data from a cross-sectional study that aimed to develop the Thai version of functional assessment of cancer therapy with nasopharyngeal cancer subscale (FACT-NP) (Peerawong et al, 2019)
Summary
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is less common in European countries and North America. it is more common in the eastern countries, such as China and Southeast Asia countries, including Thailand. The age-standardized rate (ASR) is 0.44 in European countries, 3.0 in China, and 2.2 in Thailand (Ferlay et al, 2019) This disease is included in the subsite of head and neck cancer, the treatment is different. In head and neck cancer, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Head and Neck (FACT-H&N) Scale and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Head and Neck module (QLQ-H&N35) suggest measures to evaluate QoL in cancer patients (Ojo et al, 2012) These scales were developed for all types of head and neck cancers. Narumon Janmunee et al patients, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy with Nasopharyngeal cancer subscale (FACT-NP) was developed for this disease due to differences in treatment toxicities profiles (Tong et al, 2009) Sociodemographic factors, such as age, gender, marital status, employment status, and education level can affect QoL in head and neck cancer patients. This study aimed to evaluate nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients’ QoL and identify factors affecting their QoL
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