NIGHTTIME SALIVARY CORTISOL AS A BIOMARKER OF STRESS AND AN INDICATOR OF WORSENING QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH HEAD AND NECK CANCER

Abstract

Objectives To assess the association between stress levels and quality of life among individuals with head and neck cancer (HNC). Study Design This was a cross-sectional study involving 72 patients with HNC. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected directly from patients and their medical records. The University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire (version 4) was used to assess quality of life. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and salivary cortisol were used to evaluate stress levels. Results Twenty-two patients were evaluated, with a median age of 62 (55-70) years, of whom 76.4% were men, 43.1% had oral cancer, and 70.8% had advanced HNC. A negative association was found between quality of life and stress levels. Nighttime salivary cortisol was found to have an accuracy slightly better than that of the PSS as estimated by the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve. Conclusions A negative correlation was observed between stress levels, as indicated by the PSS and salivary cortisol, and quality of life. Among the time points for saliva sampling, nighttime cortisol was found to have the best accuracy, which was similar to that of the PSS, for the detection of patients with the worst quality of life. To assess the association between stress levels and quality of life among individuals with head and neck cancer (HNC). This was a cross-sectional study involving 72 patients with HNC. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected directly from patients and their medical records. The University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire (version 4) was used to assess quality of life. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and salivary cortisol were used to evaluate stress levels. Twenty-two patients were evaluated, with a median age of 62 (55-70) years, of whom 76.4% were men, 43.1% had oral cancer, and 70.8% had advanced HNC. A negative association was found between quality of life and stress levels. Nighttime salivary cortisol was found to have an accuracy slightly better than that of the PSS as estimated by the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve. A negative correlation was observed between stress levels, as indicated by the PSS and salivary cortisol, and quality of life. Among the time points for saliva sampling, nighttime cortisol was found to have the best accuracy, which was similar to that of the PSS, for the detection of patients with the worst quality of life.